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41; 





BILLY BUNNY STARTS ON HIS TRAVELS FROM THE OLD BRIER PATCH 




V 



BILLY BUNNY 

AND HIS FRIENDS 


BY 


DAVID^CORY 

»• 


ILLUSTRATED BY 

CLARA L. VAN VREDENBURGH 



TO 


NEW YORK 

GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY 



COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY 
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY 



PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 


yQ MOV -2 1917 

\ 

©CI.A476901 


TO 

NELLE 



BILLY BUNNY 

AND HIS FRIENDS 

CHAPTER I 

‘"T^ILLY BUNNY! Billy Bunny! called Ms 

1j mother from the Old Brier Patch, ‘‘ Billy 
Bunny, where are you? ’’ 

Here I am. Mother,” he answered, poking his 
little pink nose out of the sweet clover. 

Come here, I want you to go on an errand.” 

“ Where? ” asked Billy Bunny, brushing his white 
fur coat. 

Over to Cousin Cottontail’s; I want you to take 
this note to her.” 

Billy Bunny tucked the letter in his pocket. 

Be careful not to lose it,” cautioned Mrs. Bunny. 

Don’t worry. Mother, I won’t,” and away he 
hopped over the Pleasant Meadow. But, oh dear 
me! As he jumped over the Babbling Brook, the 
letter popped out of his pocket and fell into the 
water. 

What sort of a boat is that? ” thought a little 
fresh- water crab, as the letter floated down the 

9 


10 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



BILLY BUNNY LOSES THE LETTER 


stream. If he had only asked Billy Bunny, it 
would have saved a lot of trouble. But he didn’t, 
and Billy Bunny kept on his way to the Friendly 
Forest just as though nothing had happened. 

By and by he came to the Old Brush Heap, over 
which the wild vines spread like a green tent. 

‘‘I’ve a letter for you from Mother,” he called 
out to Mrs. Cottontail, who happened just then to 
be looking out of her burrow. 

“I’m glad to see you,” said Mrs. Cottontail. 
“ Come inside and play with your cousins.” 

The little rabbits were curled up in a nest of hay, 
which Mrs. Cottontail had lined with fur from her 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 11 


own body. And Billy Bunny felt quite grown-up 
when she told him she wasn’t going to let them go 
outside the Old Brush Heap until they were as big 
as he was. 

‘‘Now sit down and tell me the news.” 

“ Well, there isn’t much to tell,” said Billy Bunny. 
“ Mother has been very busy putting away carrots 
for the winter, and yesterday Father brought home 
some lovely lettuce. I guess that’s all I know.” 

“ Didn’t you say you had a letter for me*? ” said 
Mrs. Cottontail. 

Billy Bunny put his paw into his pocket, but of 
course the letter wasn’t there. 

“ Goodness gracious! ” he cried. “ I must have lost 
it. Please wait a minute while I run back and see 
if I can find it.” 

And if the postman doesn’t find it and take it to 
the Post Office, I’ll tell you in the next storv what 
Uncle Bullfrog did with it. 


CHAPTER II 


B illy bunny hopped out of Cousin Cotton- 
taiTs house and looked up and down the little 
path, but the letter was nowhere to be seen. 
Next he peeped into the Babbling Brook, but it wasn’t 
there. Just as he was going to jump across, the little 
fresh-water crab looked up: 

“ What’s the matter, Billy Bunny You look ter- 
ribly worried.” 

I am,” replied the little rabbit, ‘‘ I’ve lost some- 
thing. Mother gave me a letter for Cousin Cottontail 
and, just think! I’ve lost it! ” 

I saw something floating here a little while ago,” 
said the crab. 

‘‘Was it a blue envelope ” asked Billy Bunny 
quickly. 

“ Yes, I think it was,” answered the crab thought- 
fully. 

“Was it long and narrow^ ” 

“Yes, I guess it was,” said the crab. 

“ That’s it! that’s it! ” shouted the little rabbit. 
“ But how am I ever going to And it? It must be out 
in the big wide ocean by this time.” 

“ Nonsense, you ought to know better than that,” 
replied the little crab. 


12 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 13 



BILLY BUNNY TELLS HIS TROUBLES TO UNCLE BULLFROG 

Well, where is it then? ’’ asked the bunny boy. 

In the Old Mill Pond, I should say. This brook 
runs right into the Old Mill Pond, you know.” 

‘‘ Is it far from here? ” asked Billy Bunny. 

Not very; just follow the brook till you come to 
it. You’d better hurry. It may get caught in the old 
mill wheel.” 

Billy Bunny lost no time. He hopped swiftly 
down the bank of the Babbling Brook until he came 
to the Old Mill Pond. He stopped under a big willow 
tree and looked over the water. But the only things 


14 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


he saw there were big green flies and bine darning 
needles. 

The ground was very damp and he was afraid he 
might get stuck in the mud, so he hunted around for 
a board to stand on. 

‘‘ Oh dear! Ihn getting all muddy! What will 
Mother say? Oh dear, oh dear! ’’ 

Uncle Bullfrog, who was half asleep on his log, 
looked up and asked what was the matter. 

IVe lost a letter,” answered the little rabbit. 

What shall I do? ” 

“ Is this it? ” said Uncle Bullfrog, pulling a blue 
envelope out of his pocket. 

Yes! ” screamed Billy Bunny, it is! ” 

But, oh dear me! Billy Bunny isn’t out of trouble 
yet! Just read in the next story what Old Mother 
Magpie does. 


CHAPTER III 


U NCLE BULLFROG handed the letter to Billy 
Bunny. 

It was pretty wet when I pulled it out of 
the water,” he said in his deep bass voice. But I 
guess iUs all right now, for I dried it in the sun.” 
Thank you ever so much,” cried the little rabbit. 
What would I ever do if you hadn’t found it? ” 
Just then Old Mother Magpie flew by and heard 
what Billy Bunny said. 

What a careless bunny boy,” she thought. “ I’ll 
stop on my way and speak to his mother about it,” 
and off she flew to tell on poor Billy Bunny. 

Now run along and give the letter to your cousin,” 
advised Uncle Bullfrog. 

It didn’t take the little rabbit long to do this, and 
after that he hurried back to the Brier Patch in the 
corner of the Old Snake Fence. 

His mother stood outside talking to Old Mother 
Magpie. Billy Bunny didn’t know of course what 
they were talking about. And it was just as well that 
he didn’t, the way things turned out. Before he came 
in hearing distance Old Mother Magpie said: 

Yes, Mrs. Bunny, one must teach children to be 

15 


16 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



OLD MOTHER MAGPIE INTERFERES 


careful. Carelessness is a sin. Billy should be pun- 
ished for losing the letter. Take my advice or your 
son will grow up to be a worthless rabbit.” 

Mrs. Bunny’s face grew very red. She was getting 
indignant over Mother Magpie’s remarks. What right 
had she to tell on Billy Bunny? Just then his little 
figure appeared on the meadow. At the sight of her 
little rabbit boy, Mrs. Bunny became even more angry. 

You seem very anxious to have Billy Bunny pun- 
ished,” and she turned with a frown to Mother 
Magpie. 

‘‘Not at all, my dear; but I hate to see children 
spoiled.” 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 17 


Well, I never thought my little boy was spoiled,’’ 
answered Mrs. Bunny. 

‘‘ That’s because you’re his mother. Ten to one 
he’ll say he never lost the letter,” said Mother Magpie. 

Billy Bunny, did you give the note to Cousin 
Cottontail? ” 

Yes, Mother dear. I lost it first, but I found it. 
It got wet. I’m sorry,” and he turned away to hide 
his tears. 

Mrs. Bunny looked at Old Mother Magpie. You 
see, my little boy isn’t afraid to tell the truth. We 
don’t need any of your advice. Old Mother Magpie.” 

Goodness gracious me! Won’t trouble ever end? 
Won’t somebody in the next story catch Old Mother 
Magpie and lock her up in a cage so she won’t trouble 
little bunny boys any more? 


CHAPTER IV 


O LD MOTHER MAGPIE wasn’t a bit pleased 
with the way Mrs. Bunny had spoken to her, 
and like all mischief-makers, when they are 
found out, she made up her mind to place the blame 
on somebody else, so without another word she flew 
away. 

First, she called on Mrs. Oriole. 

My dear,” began Old Mother Magpie, I don’t 
think you build your nest in the right way at all. I 
never build mine like yours.” 

Timid little Mrs. Oriole looked very uncomfortable. 
‘‘ But the Orioles have always built their nests in 
this way. We like to have them swing; it puts the 
babies to sleep.” 

‘‘ Well, I wouldn’t live in a nest that looks like an 
old stocking,” screamed Mother Magpie. 

Next, she dropped in to see Parson Owl. He was 
a quiet old bird and lived in a tall oak tree. He had 
great round spectacles and couldn’t see very well in 
the daylight. 

On Sundays he preached in a dark place in the 
Friendly Forest, where it was very solemn and quiet 
for everybody. 


18 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 19 



PARSON OWL AND OLD MOTHER MISCHIEF 


Yes, my dear Parson,’’ said Mother Magpie, as 
the old Owl sat winking and blinking in the top of 
the oak tree, I think you ought to preach a different 
kind of sermon next Sunday. As you are considered 



20 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


such a wise bird, you should teach the children to be 
more careful about their little duties.’^ 

And then, would you believe it, she went on to tell 
how little Billy Bunny had been given a letter to take 
to his Cousin Cottontail, and how he had lost it in 
the Babbling Brook, which was very careless of him. 

And I thought it was my duty. Parson Owl, to tell 
his mother; but she never even thanked me.’’ 

But Mother Magpie didn’t add that Billy Bunny 
had finally found the letter and had given it to Cousin 
Cottontail, and that he had told his mother the truth 
about losing it, like a brave little rabbit. 

Oh no! She didn’t say anything about that, but 
flew away, leaving poor old Parson Owl worried to 
death over what he should say to the children on 
Sunday. 

One trouble after another! Did you ever see any- 
thing like it? But never mind. Just read what Uncle 
Bullfrog does! 


CHAPTER V 


O N Sunday morning Billy Bunny and his mother 
started out for the dark quiet place in the 
Friendly Forest where Old Parson Owl 
preached his sermons. 

The little rabbit’s fur coat was nicely brushed and 
his mother had on her best bonnet. 

When they reached the Old Mill Pond, whom should 
they see but Mother Magpie. She was scolding away 
at Old Uncle Bullfrog. 

The Forest Folk are not at all satisfied with the 
way you lead the choir. In fact, since the boys of 
the neighbourhood have made fun of your voice, they 
have about decided to get some one else.” 

Poor Uncle Bullfrog looked very unhappy. For 
years he had taught music and no one had ever spoken 
to him like that. As Old Mother Magpie went on, 
the tears rolled down his honest cheeks, and he had 
to take off his yellow spectacles and wipe them on a 
soft green lily-pad. 

Yes, Uncle Bullfrog, only yesterday the Miller’s 
Boy threw stones at you and called you an old croak. 
The Forest Folk are wondering whether it’s a good 
plan to have you lead the choir any longer. We don’t 
want to be made fun of on your account.” 

21 


22 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



OLD MOTHER MAGPIE MAKES UNCLE BULLFROG UNHAPPY 


‘‘ Isn’t she a mean old thing! ” cried Billy Bunny. 
“ I like Uncle Bullfrog’s singing. I like the way he 
sings at night. It always puts me to sleep.” 

Billy Bunny’s mother said nothing, but she gave her 
bonnet strings a pull, just as she always did when she 
was getting ready to say something very stern. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 23 


If you will listen to my advice/’ went on Old 
Mother Magpie, not looking around, for if she had 
seen Billy Bunny and his mother I don’t believe she 
would have said another unkind word to Uncle Bull- 
frog, — if you will listen to my advice, perhaps you 
will be able to hold your position.” 

‘‘What is your advice?” asked Uncle Bullfrog 
in a very sad croaking voice. 

“ Why, leave the Old Mill Pond. You sit half the 
day in the water. No wonder your voice is hoarse.” 

“ I will never leave the Old Mill Pond,” cried 
Uncle Bullfrog. “ If the Forest Folk want another 
choir master, they can tell me so, but I will never 
leave the Old Mill Pond! ” 

And he never did. He led the singing as usual on 
Sunday and everybody seemed perfectly satisfied. 
In fact. Parson Owl told him afterwards that the 
music was unusually good. 

So, after all, you see. Old Mother Magpie didn’t 
make Uncle Bullfrog leave his home in the Old Mill 
Pond. 

And if the policeman had only been around in the 
next story, the Miller’s Boy never would have stolen 
Timmy Chipmunk’s chestnuts. 


CHAPTER VI 


T he Miller’s Boy wasn’t a nice sort of a boy 
at all, because whenever he could run away 
from the mill and leave his old father to tie 
up the meal bags, he would. All the little Forest 
Folk hated him, not only because he threw stones 
at poor Uncle Bullfrog and made his life miserable, 
but because he loved to sneak along the Old Snake 
Fence and scare everybody he came across, which 
isn’t a nice thing to do. 

And so when Billy Bunny saw him coming, he 
hid in the tall meadow grass or hopped as fast as 
he could into the Old Brier Patch. 

On the other side of the Old Snake Fence Timmy 
Chii3munk had made his little home. It was a deep 
hole in the ground, and at the bottom was a nice 
storeroom to hold nuts and other things for the winter. 
He had two doors to his burrow, so in case somebody 
he didn’t like came in one, he could run out of the 
other. 

Timmy Chipmunk was wise in other ways, too. 
He had learned that Billy Bunny always warned his 
mother by thumping on the ground with his hind feet 
when he saw the Miller’s Boy coming across the Pleas- 
ant Meadow. 


24 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 25 



BILLY BUNNY WARNS TIMMY CHIPMUNK OF DANGER 


But one day Timmy ChiiDmunk waited a little too 
long, and the first thing he knew, the dreadful Miller’s 
Boy was leaning over the Old Snake Fence. 



26 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Timmy Chipmunk’s face must have looked very 
funny. It looked as if Timmy had the mumps, I 
guess, for he had just stuffed his cheeks full of nuts, 
for that is the way he carries them, and if you don’t 
know it. I’ll tell: he has a little pouch in each cheek, 
just like a little pocket. 

The Miller’s Boy laughed out loud, ha! ha! ha! 
which frightened the little chipmunk almost to death. 
Then the Miller’s Boy climbed through the fence, 
picked up a stick, and began to dig. And by and 
by he came to the little chipmunk’s storehouse. 
Wasn’t that a shame? It was chuck full of nice 
ripe chestnuts. The Miller’s Boy filled his pocket 
and then sat on the Old Snake Fence to eat them. 

This made Timmy Chipmunk very angry. 

‘‘You’re a thief! You’re a thief!” he shouted., 
But I don’t believe the Miller’s Boy heard him. Just 
then the Miller himself called out, “ John, come and 
tie the meal bags! ” It was a good thing this hap- 
pened, for if Timmy had kept on calling names, 
perhaps the Miller’s Boy would have heard him, and 
then there’s no telling what he might have done to 
Timmy Chipmunk, — that is, if he could catch him! 

And now in the next story comes somebody else to 
make trouble for little Billy Bunny. But you’d never 
guess who. So I’ll tell you. It’s Daddy Fox! 


CHAPTER VII 


B illy bunny worst enemy was Daddy Pox, 
who lived in a hole in the wooded hillside not 
very far from the Old Brier Patch. 

Now Daddy Pox had two small sons, named Sly- 
boots and Bushytail, for whom he had to provide good 
things to eat. And as they had very big appetites, 
it kept Daddy Pox pretty busy. 

One night on coming home without anything for 
supper, he said to Mrs. Pox: 

My dear, I’m sorry I have nothing for you.” At 
this Slyboots and Bushytail set up a howl of disap- 
pointment. 

Softly! Softly! ” cried Daddy Pox, the farmers 
will hear you! ” Slyboots and Bushytail at once 
stopped crying, for they knew how angry the farmers 
were with their father for stealing their chickens and 
geese. 

‘‘ As I was saying,” continued Daddy Pox, ‘‘I’m 
sorry I’ve nothing for supper tonight, I came very 
near bringing home a nice fat little rabbit, but just 
as I was going to spring upon him, another rabbit 
thumped upon the ground, which is the way rabbits 
have to tell one another that danger is near, and he 
popped into his hole in the Old Brier Patch.” 

27 


28 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



DADDY FOX HAS A NARROW ESCAPE 


‘‘ It must have been Billy Bunny! ” shouted both 
little foxes in the same breath. 

‘‘ I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Daddy Fox. All 
I saw was his little cotton tail as he jumped into his 
hole. But what I would like to know is, what have 
you done with the goose I brought home only yester- 
dayr’ 

“ It’s all gone,” said Mrs. Daddy Fox. ‘‘ Slyboots 
and Bushytail were playing on the hill all the morning, 
and came home very hungry.” 

‘‘I had a narrow escape, my dear,” Daddy Fox 
went on to say. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 29 


Tell us about it,” said Mrs. Daddy Fox, and the 
little foxes drew close to Daddy Fox to hear better. 

‘‘A lot of men in red coats on horses and a pack 
of dogs chased me for many miles.” 

Slyboots and Bushytail grew very excited. Oh, 
Daddy,” they cried, how did you get away? ” 

If it hadn’t grown dark, I never would have,” 
replied Daddy Fox. Just think, my bushy tail 
might have been cut off and hung up as a trophy in 
one of the hunters’ houses.” 

“ Oh, don’t. Daddy! ” whimpered Slyboots and 
Bushytail. We’d rather lose our supper than lose 
our Daddy Fox! ” 

The next story is going to be about a nutcracker. 
But I’m not going to tell you now what kind of a nut- 
cracker, — except that it has a big bushy tail! Of 
course, if you’ve already guessed right, you needn’t 
read the tail. Oh dear me! I didn’t mean that! I’m 
all mixed up. I mean, you needn’t read the story! 


CHAPTER VIII 


S QUIRE NUTCRACKER and his wife had their 
home in the Old Chestnut Tree. Every year they 
raised a new family of young squirrels with 
beautiful grey bushy tails, who as soon as they grew 
up built homes for themselves in their Friendly Forest, 
But one year Squire Squirrel had a son who gave 
him lots of trouble. Yes siree! He certainly was a 
foolish young fellow, and pretty soon people began 
to call him Scatterbrains ” ! 

Then, besides, he was very vain, and often went to 
look at himself in the Babbling Brook, which was 
just as good as a looking-glass. 

Instead of picking up nuts and helping Squire 
Nutcracker, he played all day, but always came home 
in time for supper, you may be sure, when he ate 
like a great big working man. 

One evening his father said to him: Scatterbrains, 
if you don’t settle down and get to work, you’ll have 
to find another home. I’m not going to let you grow 
up a good-for-nothing squirrel.” 

Scatterbrains did not reply, but curled his beautiful 
bushy tail up over his back as much as to say, ‘‘I’m 
just too handsome to work,” as if that made any 

30 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 31 



SCATTERBRAINS MAKES FUN OF TIMMY CHIPMUNK 


difference. Everybody in the Friendly Forest worked, 
so why shouldn’t Scatterbrains. He was just lazy, 
that was all. 

The next morning as he looked down from the old 


32 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


chestnut tree, he saw Cousin Timmy Chipmunk pick- 
ing up nuts. 

‘‘Oh, you Chipmunk!” laughed Scatterbrains. 
“ You do nothing but work. Do you ever take your 
overalls off? ” 

“ I think iUs fun picking up nuts,” replied Timmy 
Chipmunk, “ and overalls when you’re working are 
just the thing. You’re so afraid of hurting your 
nice grey trousers that you don’t dare slide down the 
tree.” 

“ I never mean to work,” replied Scatterbrains 
proudly, which was very foolish of him. He should 
instead have been ashamed of his laziness. “ Besides,” 
he went on to say, “ I know of a place where there 
are lots of nuts already stored away so that you don’t 
have to bother about picking them up.” 

“Where?” asked Timmy Chipmunk. 

“ In the Big Barn by the Old Mill,” whispered 
Scatterbrains, “ but don’t tell anybody I told you.” 

My goodness! What happens at the Big Barn in 
the next story is soon known by everybody in the 
Friendly Forest. 


CHAPTER IX 


T immy chipmunk was very much surprised 
when his grey squirrel cousin told him about 
the Big Barn. 

And it’s just crammed full of wheat and corn, 
too,” went on Scatterbrains. 

‘‘ But it would be stealing to take anything,” said 
Timmy Chipmunk. We have no right to do that. 
What’s in the Friendly Forest is ours, but not what’s 
stored away in barns.” 

‘‘Pooh! ” laughed Scatterbrains, “I’m going over 
there today to meet Mr. Sharptooth Rat. He’s going 
to show me how to get all I want.” 

“ Better look out, he’s an old sharper,” said Timmy 
Chipmunk. But Scatterbrains didn’t even hear him. 
but ran off in the direction of the Big Barn. 

Just then little Billy Bunny came along. And 
when Timmy Chipmunk told him what Scatterbrains 
was going to do, the little rabbit gave a low whistle. 
That is, he puckered up his mouth as though he could 
whistle, but he only made a funny little windy noise. 
“ Whew! ” is the way it sounded. 

“ The Miller’s Boy has a new dog. Scatterbrains 
had better look out, or Mr. Sharptooth Rat will get 
him into trouble.” 


33 


34 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



MR. SHARPTOOTH RAT TALKING TO SCATTERBRAINS 


And it turned out just as the little rabbit said. Of 
course Scatterbrains just thought Mr. Sharptooth 
Rat wanted to give him some nice nuts for nothing; 
but when people want to give you something for noth- 
ing, it’s time to look out. 

When Scatterbrains came to the Big Barn, Mr 
Sharptooth Rat said, Come right in. Doesn’t the 
corn smell nice"? ” 

Scatterbrains thought it smelt delicious. 

Your teeth are just right,” said the rat. Mine 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 35 


are a little too long, so you gnaw a hole in the board, 
while I keep watch! ” 

When the hole was made, the wicked old rat said, 
‘‘Now crawl in and bring me some corn.’’ 

But just then the barn door opened and in came 
the Miller’s Boy. Away went Mr, Sharptooth Rat! 
Then the Miller’s Boy stopped up the hole, and after 
that, he opened the door of the grain room and let in 
his dog. 

Poor Scatterbrains was frightened to death. He 
raced up and down, through bundles of hay, between 
barrels and boxes, with the terrier snapping at his 
heels. 

And just as the little squirrel squeezed through a 
crack, the dog caught his beautiful bushy tail and 
scraped off all the fur, leaving it just as bare as Mr. 
Rat’s! 

And now I hope everybody has learned what a 
dreadful thing it is to steal things. And if you’ll 
promise never to take anything that doesn’t belong to 
you. I’ll tell you in the next story of a little store in 
the Friendly Forest where you can buy all kinds of 
nuts, — except peanuts, I’m not quite sure about them! 


CHAPTER X 


A fter his narrow escape from the Miller’s dog, 
Scatterbrains had a pretty hard time of it. It 
is very unpleasant to be laughed at, even if it 
is your own fault. If Scatterbrains hadn’t tried to 
steal the corn in the Big Barn, he never would have 
lost his beautiful bushy tail. You see, we can’t do 
wrong without being punished. 

Yes, Scatterbrains now had a tail without any 
fur on it, which of course made him look ridiculous. 
Yes sir, it made him look so funny that everybody 
in the Friendly Forest burst into roars of laughter as 
soon as they saw him. So after a little while, he hid 
himself at home and wouldn’t go out at all. 

One evening, after all the little squirrels had gone 
to bed. Squire Nutcracker said to his wife: 

Perhaps some day Scatterbrains may turn out to 
be worth something. By the time the fur grows on 
his tail maybe some brains may grow in his head.” 

Mrs. Nutcracker sighed. I only hope he won’t 
disgrace the family. If he were only like his Cousin 
Timmy Chipmunk, what a relief it would be.” 

ij 

Yes, Timmy Chipmunk has a good business head,” 
said Squire Squirrel. He’s making money in the 
nut business already.” 


36 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 37 



SQUIRE NUTCRACKER AND HIS WIFE 


The next morning Scatterbrains, who had heard 
what the Old Squire had said about him the night 
before, went into his mother’s room to look at himself 
in her long mirror. 

Pretty slim sort of a tail,” he remarked. ‘‘ But 
I can’t stay in the house forever, even if I do look 
like a bunny with a rat’s tail! ” And he ran out and 
slid down the tree, almost bumping into Billy Bunny. 


38 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Hello, Scatterbrains,” cried the little rabbit, 

where in the world have you been? ” 

Home,” said the little squirrel, but he didn’t 
say why. And I don’t blame him, either, do you? 
It’s pretty hard to tell on one’s self, although not so 
mean as telling on other people. 

By and by, pretty soon, as the little rabbit and 
the little squirrel walked along, they came to a small 
store, and over the door was this sign: 

TIMOTHY CHIPMUNK 
All Kinds of Nuts. Wholesale and Retail 

While they stood staring at it, Timmy Chipmunk 
himself came out and asked them if they wanted to 
buy any nice nuts. 

‘‘ No-o-o! ” said Billy Bunny. ‘‘But, oh how I 
would like to have a little store like yours! ” 

Now this time I’m not going to tell you anything 
about the next story, but just let you wait and find 
out for yourself. 


CHAPTER XI 


B illy bunny was going to his first moonlight 
dance. 

All the rabbits will be there, 

Cottontails and Jumping Hare, 

Underneath the moon’s soft light 
We will hop and dance tonight,” 

Mrs. Billy Bunny sang as she put away the supper 
things. 

“ O hurry, Mother; please! ’’ cried Billy Bunny. 
“ When you begin to sing it makes me want to dance 
right off.’’ 

‘‘Now Billy Bunny,” said his mother, when they 
came to the dancing place on the Pleasant Meadow, 
“ if you hear me thump on the ground with my hind 
legs, you’ll know there is danger, so you ‘ freeze ’ 
right away.” Billy Bunny knew what “ freezing ” 
meant. But in case you don’t, I’ll tell you. It means 
to stay perfectly still, — just as though you were really 
frozen, you know. 

Well, pretty soon the dance began. Hoppity, hop- 
pity, hoppity hop! Everybody was having great fun 
when, all of a sudden, thump ! thump ! went somebody’s 

39 


40 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



hind feet. Billy Bunny never moved. He frooze ” 
just where he was. But, oh dear me ! There was one 
little bunny who didn’t. And down came Robber 
Nighthawk like a great black shadow and carried 
him off. 

Of course the moonlight dance broke up at once. 
Nobody wanted to dance any more after that. 

When Billy Bunny and his mother reached the Old 
Brier Patch they found Mr. Bunny and little Bobby 
Tail eating a carrot, for they hadn’t gone to the dance. 

u There’s no place like home,” said Mrs. Bunny, 
and then she told them what a dreadful thing had 
happened. 

I’ve always said these Moonlight Dances were 
dangerous,” said Mr. Bunny. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 41 


‘‘ Well, I’m glad to say that Billy Bunny minded 
like a little soldier,” and Mrs. Bunny took off her 
bonnet and hung it up in the closet. ‘‘ He never 
moved after I thumped on the ground. If that other 
little rabbit had done the same, he’d now be safe at 
home with his family.” Wasn’t it a dreadful thing 
to even think of ? The two little bunny boys shivered 
and crept up close to their father. Then he said: 

I’m going to tell you a little story, so listen to me: 

Daddy Fox is very sly. 

He may catch you by and by. 

So look out for him I say, 

And be careful every day. 

Robber Hawk is very sly, 

As he sails across the sky; 

So be careful every night 
Lest of you he catch a sight.” 

And if the weathercock on our old red barn doesn’t 
sing If’s a long way to Jersey City ” and keep me 
awake all night so that I can’t get up too early to 
catch the train, I’ll tell you in the next story how the 
Bunny Brothers fooled Daddy Pox. 


CHAPTER XII 


B illy bunny and Bobby Tail were alone in 
their little house in the Old Brier Patch, for 
Mrs. Bunny had gone to make a call. But 
first she had told them to be sure and keep the doors 
locked until she came home. But, oh dear me ! They 
had forgotten all about the back door. 

And this is how Daddy Fox got in. Yes sir ! Daddy 
Fox walked right in and before the little bunny boys 
could hide, there he stood grinning and showing his 
long white teeth. 

How do you do, Billy Bunny'? ” 

Billy Bunny answered that he didn’t feel very 
well. 

“ And how do you do? ” 

Bobby Tail said he thought he was going to have 
a sick headache. Then Daddy Fox grinned and 
grinned, as if he were so pleased to see them. 

The little rabbits crept close together and looked 
toward the back door. But there wasn’t any use in 
trying to run out, for Daddy Fox would surely catch 
them. 

Oh, wasn’t it dreadful, all alone in the house with 
wicked Daddy Fox? 


42 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 43 



DADDY FOX CALLS ON THE BUNNY BROTHERS 


Then, all of a sudden, they heard Robbie Redbreast 
sing very softly: 

^^Go to the cupboard and show Daddy Fox 
The frosted cake in the big tin box!’’ 

Billy Bunny scratched his left ear with his right 
hind foot and pretended he didn’t hear. And Bobby 
Tail wiggled his little pink nose sideways so fast that 
it made Daddy Pox cross-eyed to look at him. And 
as Daddy Pox was a little deaf, he didn’t hear the 
song at all because, you see, it was sung so softly. 
Now wasn’t that lucky for the little rabbits^ 

Then, right away quick, Billy Bunny said to Daddy 
Pox: 


44 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 

Won^t you have some frosted cake"? It’s over in 
the cupboard on the top shelf in the tin cake box.” 

Daddy Fox walked across the room and opened 
the cupboard. But the cake box was way out of reach, 
so he had to pull up a chair and stand on his tiptoes. 
Just as he opened the cake box, the two little rabbits 
hopped through the door, lippity-lip, clippity-clip, and 
before Daddy Fox could catch them, they were safe 
inside Cousin Cotton Tail’s house. And this time 
they didn’t forget to lock the door, you may be sure. 

And if you’ll be very good and not ask me to tell 
you what’s going to be in the next story. I’ll tell you 
a little secret. There wasn’t any frosted cake in the 
big tin box, after all. 


CHAPTER XIII 


Good morning, Mr. Happy Sun, 

I^m glad you came so soon. 

YouVe scared away the Nightie Bird 
And shined away the moon. 

B illy bunny stood up on Ms hind legs. Then 
he wriggled his little pink nose and scratched 
his left ear. 

I wonder what IM do today? ” he said to him- 
self. Then off he went, lippity-hop, clippity-hop down 
the Pleasant Meadow. He hadn’t gone very far 
when he saw Tommy Turtle. So Billy Bunny rapped 
on the roof of Tommy Turtle’s house, for Tommy 
Turtle always carries his house with him, rain or 
shine, summer or winter, anywhere and everywhere 
he goes, his little Shell House goes with him! No 
sir. Tommy Turtle never moves out of his house, 
nor does he ever have to pay rent. 

Is Tommy Turtle at home? ” said little Billy 
Bunny, and he hopped behind a bush quicker than 
a wink so the turtle shouldn’t see him. Yes, I’m 
at home; but who’s knocking? ” called out the scarry 
turtle from inside his shell. You see, just as soon as 
the little rabbit touched him, he pulled his head and 

45 


46 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



tail inside his house. That’s the way turtles always 
do. They’re so afraid somebody will grab them be- 
fore they can get out of sight. 

But Billy Bunny didn’t answer. Oh my no! He 
just kept perfectly still and watched Tommy Turtle 
twist his head this way and that way to see who had 
knocked on his door. 

Well, by and by, after a little white. Tommy Turtle 
started off again for the Old Mill Pond to take his 
swim. Then Billy Bunny hopped softly after him 
and knocked again. 

Whoever you are! ” cried Tommy Turtle angrily, 
‘‘ you ought to have better sense than to knock on 
other people’s doors just to plague them! ” And if 
you’d used a telescope you couldn’t have seen the tip 
of his nose or the end of his tail, for he’d pulled them 
in mighty quick. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 47 


‘‘Ha, ha!” laughed the little rabbit, “I won’t 
tease you any more. It’s me, Billy Bunny.” But, 
oh dear me ! Billy Bunny was so taken up with Tommy 
Turtle that he didn’t notice a shadow on the path. 
No sir, he didn’t see Robber Hawk at all, but Tommy 
Turtle did. “ Look out! ” he yelled. Well, sir, you 
should have seen that little rabbit! He hopped so 
fast into a hollow stump that he got inside two min- 
utes and a half before his tail did. And if he doesn’t 
have to stay there too long because the wicked old 
hawk won’t go away, until I get a gun and shoot him. 
I’ll let you guess what Billy Bunny does in the next 
story. 


CHAPTER XIV 


O NE stormy day the milkman forgot to leave any 
milk at the Old Brier Patch, so towards evening 
Mrs. Bunny sent her two little bunny boys up 
to the Farm Yard to borrow some from Mrs. Cow. 
But just as they were going to give hei their little 
tin pail, who should come into the shed but the Big 
Farmer himself. If it hadn’t been for a big pile of 
straw, I don’t know I’m sure what they would have 
done. Well, anyway, they just managed to hide in 
time. Then the Big Farmer took his milk pail and a 
one-legged stool and began to milk Mrs. Cow. And 
every once in a while he’d look over at the straw pile, 
which frightened the little rabbits almost to death. 
They didn’t dare move, and, oh dear me! Billy Bunny 
got black in the face holding his breath ! And Bobby 
whispered : 

Sakes alive, you’ll drive me wild, 

You’re turning into a coloured child! ” 

‘‘ S-s-sh! ” said Billy. But it was a good thing he 
had to speak, for if he hadn’t he might have burst 
pretty soon, — I was only holding my breath so the 
straws wouldn’t tickle my nose and make me sneeze! ” 

48 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 49 



“steady there, MRS. COW!^^ SAID THE FARMER 

Then, all of a sudden, Mrs. Cow shook her head and 
the bell on her neck made a great tinkle-tinkle. She 
did it on purpose, don’t you see, to keep the Big 
Farmer from hearing the bunny boys. 

Steady there, Mrs. Cow! ” said the farmer, and 
by and by the milk pail was full and he went away. 
And, oh how glad the little rabbit children were! 
They hopped out and brushed the straws off their 
fur coats and parted their hair in a little looking-glass 
Mrs. Cow gave them. And just then, Mr. Sharptooth 
Rat ran in. 

Helloa, Bunny Boys! What are you doing up 
here a stormy evening like this? ” 


50 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


You let them alone and go about your business,” 
and Mrs. Cow lowered her head and ran at Mr. Sharp- 
tooth Rat. “ I’ll stick my horns right through your 
ears if you don’t! ” 

My! You should have seen that rat skip through 
a hole in the shed. But when he was safe outside, he 
called back: 


Mrs. Cow, Mrs. Cow, 

You’d toss me high 
If I weren’t very 
Quick and sly. 

I’ll come tomorrow 
For my corn, 

Mrs. Cow, Mrs. Cow, 

With the crumpled horn.” 

And if the moon doesn’t come down and jump over 
Mrs. Cow, I’ll tell you in the next story how the little 
Rabbit Brothers spent the night in the old cow shed 
and in the morning went skating on the Babbling 
Brook. 


CHAPTER XV 


I T was very early when Billy Bunny and Bobby Tail 
started out the next morning for the Old Brier 
Patch. I guess it was only fifteen o’clock. Maybe 
it was earlier. Anyhow, Cocky Docky had just sung 
his two o’clock song, and Mrs. Cow was still sound 
asleep. But, oh me! oh my! You should have seen 
her horns. Do you believe it, they were done up in 
curl papers? 

“ Don’t let’s wake her,” whispered Billy Bunny. 
‘‘ Maybe she wouldn’t like to have us see those funny 
curl papers on her horns. Mother never does, you 
know! ” 

Of course Mrs. Bunny didn’t have horns! What 
Billy Bunny meant was that she did her ears up in 
curl papers! 

Well, anyway, the little rabbits didn’t say good-by 
to Mrs. Cow on account of the curl papers. After 
a little way, not so very far, they came to the Bab- 
bling Brook. And wasn’t it nice, it was all frozen 
over! And Willie Wind had blown so hard all night 
that there wasn’t a speck of snow on it. Why, the 
ice was as smooth as a plate-glass window in a candy 
shop! 


61 


52 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



But when they tried to skate home, oh dear, oh 
dear! Willie Wind wouldn’t let them. No siree. 
He blew them right down to the Old Mill Pond and 
over the Mill Dam before they could say, Pinkey 
pink is the bottle of ink.” And just as they slid 
under the railroad bridge, a train of cars came by. 

Toot, toot, tootity toot! 

Look at the scared little rabbits scoot! ” 

I think that was a very mean thing for the engine 
whistle to say, don’t you*? And the Conductor on the 
train must have thought so too, for he dropped a 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 53 


Paper Cornucopia full of candy right down to the 
little rabbits. 

But, oh dear me! Would you believe it? That 
Cornucopia just wouldn’t stand still! It spun 
around and around like a top, and every once in a 
while took a shoot over to Billy Bunny. Then it 
would spin away again, just when he thought he had it. 

Did you ever go into a Candy Shop to buy five 
cents’ worth of candy and then find that you had lost 
your nickel? Well, that’s just the way the Bunny 
Brothers felt. Here was a whole Cornucopia full of 
candy and they couldn’t get it. 

But, all of a sudden, something happened. The 
string around the Cornucopia caught on a stick that 
was frozen in the ice and the Cornucopia came to a 
stop. And my! How glad the little rabbits were! 

And if the peppermint sticks don’t turn into barber 
poles and choke the Bunny Brothers, you shall hear 
in the next story how Old Man Weasel tries to put 
them into a Rabbit Stew. Not the peppermint sticks, 
but Billy Bunny and Bobby Tail. 


CHAPTER XVI 


A fter they had eaten the Cornucopia of Candy, 
the Bunnies’ paws were dreadfully sticky. Of 
course, there wasn’t any nice wet wash-rag 
and soapsuds around, so they tried to clean their feet 
with snow. But goodness gracious me! The snow 
stuck to their feet so tight that they couldn’t get it 
off, and by and by they had a great big snowball on 
each foot. 

Oh dear! I know I’ll have chilblains! ” cried 
Billy Bunny. 

‘‘No you won’t! ” said a voice, and Old Man 
Weasel jumped out from behind one of the big wooden 
posts that held up the railroad bridge. 

“ You won’t have time for chilblains, for I’m going 
to eat you both.” 

Oh dear me! Wasn’t that an awful thing to hear"? 

Willie Wind, please run away 
To the Brier Patch today. 

Tell the Bunnies’ dear Mamma 
Where her little children are. 

Should you see dear Blackie Crow, 

Tell him everything you know; 

He will hurry in his flight 
To relieve the Bunnies’ plight. 

54 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 55 



Willie Wind, with wings so fleet, 

Please tell every one yon meet. 

Hasten, hasten o’er the snow. 

Just as fast as you can blow. 

Tell at once the Forest Polk 
Mr. Weasel means no joke! 

Come along with me! ” and Old Man Weasel took 
Billy Bunny by the collar and Bobby Tail by the ear 
and marched them right into his house behind the 
big post. 

My ! how they slipped and stumbled down the 
wooden stairs ! Some of the snow came off their feet, 
which made Mr. W^easel very angry. Just you wait 


56 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


till Mrs. Weasel sees wliat you’ve done to her nice 
clean floor.” Then he opened a little door and pushed 
the bunnies through. ‘‘ I have brought you something 
for a nice stew, Mrs. Weasel! ” 

If the kitchen stove doesn’t blow up the chimney, 
we’ll get the Rabbit Children out of this scrape if it 
takes all day tomorrow to do it. 


CHAPTER XVII 


Rabbit stew is very fine, 

ThaPs the way I like to dine, 

Nothing is so good for you 
As a juicy rabbit stew, 

sang Mrs. Weasel, and the little Bunny Boys shivered 
and shook. And when Old Man Weasel filled the big 
black pot with water they shivered and shivered and 
shook and shook. And when he poked the fire and put 
on the big pot, they almost shivered to pieces! 

Now I think we’re all ready,” said Mrs. Weasel, 
and she turned to grab the little rabbits. But you 
never can tell what’s going to happen. For who would 
think that the Bunny Brothers would stumble over 
a basket of apples? Well, quicker than I can tell 
you, they were throwing red and yellow apples, and 
pink and — oh dear! I’m so excited! I think they 
threw some blue apples at those wicked weasels. 
Why, those weasels thought a whole apple tree was 
coming at them all at one time. Then over went the 
big black pot, and the water put out the fire, and the 
steam filled the kitchen, so that the wicked weasels 
couldn’t see a single thing. Quick as a wink, the 
little rabbits opened the door and scrambled up the 

57 


58 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



MR. WICKED WEASEL GETS PUNISHED 


bank to the railroad track. Right there stood a big 
freight car. The door was open and the two little 
rabbits slipped in, for they thought it better to hide 
a little while in case Old Man Weasel should come 
after them. 

The big freight car was just packed full of sugar- 
coated carrots; and they tasted just as good as they 
looked. Billy Bunny and Bobby Tail at once set 
to work to eat up that whole carload of sugar-coated 
carrots ! 

They had eaten every carrot except two great big 
ones, when something bumped into the car with an 
awful thump ! Then the engine gave a long whistle, — 
then another one just to show that it could whistle 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 59 


even louder if it wanted to, and away went the train 
with Billy Bunny and Bobby Tail and the two big 
carrots ! 

Oh me, oh my! This is terrible! ” cried Billy 
Bunny. ‘‘ Wedl be carried away so far from home 
that well never get back! ” 

And we haven’t got any tickets, either,” said 
Bobby Tail. ‘‘ We’ll both be arrested for tramps! ” 

But nothing like that happened at all. Railroad 
trains don’t go on forever without stopping, and if 
you’ll only wait for the next story, — that is, if the 
two big carrots don’t eat up two little bunny boys 
before that time. I’ll tell you how Billy and Bobby 
took a sleigh ride. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


L et me see. Where were we when we left off 
J last night? It’s pretty hard to tell just where 
we were, for the big freight train was rumbling 
along so fast that you couldn’t count the telegraph 
poles. Well, we were in the big freight car, anyway, 
with the Rabbit Children, but just where that big 
freight car was, is more than I know, and I wouldn’t 
now, if the train hadn’t suddenly come to a stand- 
still. My, what a bump! Billy Bunny and Bobby 
Tail were thrown headlong against the front of the 
car. 

Now if it had only been a passenger train, the 
brakeman would have put in his head and called out, 
Bunnytown! ” or ‘^Rabbit Hill!” or Clover- 
ville! ” or Carrot City! ” or some name that would 
make a rabbit want to get right off. But nothing 
like this happened. No siree. 

Before there was time to wink, the door opened 
and a man poked his head inside. But he didn’t 
call out the name of a town or anything like that. 
He just rolled in a big round something which looked 
to the Bunnie Brothers very much like a big barrel. 
And sure enough that’s just what it was! 

60 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 61 



THE SLEIGH RIDE 


After that he pulled the door almost shut, and went 
off to the station. Right by the car stood a sleigh, 
and in it was a box, half filled with straw. 

“ Let’s get in quick! ” said Billy Bunny. “ He’ll 


62 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


drive off pretty soon, and when we come to the 
Friendly Forest, we’ll hop out and go home.” 

So they both jumped into the box and hid under the 
straw. By and by the man came back and drove off. 
Jingle, jingle went the sleigh bells as the old grey 
horse trotted through the snow. Bobby and Billy 
chuckled over the thought that they were getting a 
nice free ride, and began to sing: 

Jingle bells! jingle bells! 

On the farmer’s sleigh! 

Isn’t it funny for a little bunny 

To be going along this way I” 

‘‘ What’s that? I thought I heard some one sing- 
ing,” said the man. This made the Bunny Boys 
keep very quiet. By and by they each took two bites 
and a half out of the big carrots, and waited for 
something to happen. And if the wheels on the 
sleigh and the skates on the old grey horse don’t come 
off, you shall hear what did happen in the next story. 


CHAPTER XIX 


A S the sleigh bumped along, the box in which Billy 
Bunny and Bobby Tail were hiding, slid nearer 
and nearer to the back of the sleigh, and by and 
by it just dropped off into the snow. 

At first Billy Bunny and Bobby Tail were terribly 
upset. They were upset in every way. Even the box 
was upset. It was mighty lucky for them the straw 
was soft and dry. But it wasn’t so nice to be 
in a place where there weren’t any doors or win- 
dows. 

So they set to work digging under the side of the 
box and very soon made a way out. Then they looked 
about to see where they were. And wasn’t it lucky? 
They were in the Friendly Forest, right in the midst 
of a bramble patch. Isn’t it wonderful how lucky 
some people are? 

“ This will be a pretty fine place in the summer 
time,” said Billy Bunny, if we can only find enough 
to eat until then.” 

IVe got half my carrot left,” said Bobby 
Tail. 

And I’ve got some of mine,” said Billy Bunny. 
68 


64 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



BLACKIE CROW TAKES THE TELEGRAM 

‘‘ This will keep us for a while. Now let’s go inside 
and fix up our house.” 

So they both crawled in, and would you believe it, 
while they were making two nice beds in the straw 
they found a peanut and a chocolate eclair! 

Scrumptious! ” cried Bobby Tail. ‘‘Now weVe 
got enough to last us for weeks! ” 

By this time it was getting late and they were 
worried about home. 

“ Mother will wonder where we are,” said Billy 
Bunny. “ I wish we could send her word.” 

Just then Blackie Crow flew by. “ Wait a minute, 
Blackie; will you take this telegram to Mother? ” 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 65 


Mrs. William Bunny, 

Old Brier Patch, 

Snake Fence Corner. 

Don’t worry, we’ve made a little house for ourselves 
in a Bramble Bush. 

Billy Bunny 
Bobby Tail. 

If Blackie Crow doesn’t reach the Old Brier Patch 
before tomorrow night Mrs. Bunny will read all about 
it in the next story, — that is, if she doesn’t lose her 
spectacles. 


CHAPTER XX 


L ook here, Bobby Tail! You don’t do any- 
thing but nibble on that chocolate eclair. I’m 
going away.” So Billy Bunny put on his cap 
and picked up his striped candy cane and started off. 

‘‘A wandering Bunny Boy am I, 

Under the happy smiling sky, 

With my red-striped candy cane, 

Hopping down the Forest Lane. 

Little knapsack on my back, 

I^m a happy Rabbit Jack; 

Though my taiPs a powder-puff, 

Guess I’m dressed up well enough.” 

As he finish* m! singing this little song, who should 
come by but a torn and tattered tramp. 

Helloa there. Bunny! ” he said. Are you tramp- 
ing, too? ” 

Well, not exactly; I’m on my way home to the 
Old Brier Patch in Snake Pence Corner.” 

Well, when you get home, you stay home. Wish 
I had,” and the torn and tattered tramp sat down 
on a stone and gave a great sigh. Then he took out 
66 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 67 



THE ELEPHANT TAKES BILLY BUNNY TO THE CIRCUS 


of his pocket an old half-smoked cigar and lighted 
it and pulfed away without saying another word. 

So Billy Bunny hopped along on his way, until, 
all of a sudden, just like that, a great big black ele- 
phant came tearing down the path. 


68 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 

Get out of my way! Get out of my way! ’’ he 
yelled. I haven’t time to turn out for anybody! 
I’m late for the circus now.” 

“ Better late than never,” thought Billy Bunny, 
and he hopped after the elephant as fast as he could. 

By and by he came to a big white circus tent. The 
band was playing and the flags flying, and everybody 
was hollering out something, — pink lemonade, roasted 
peanuts, fat women and skeletons! 

Billy Bunny tried to peep under the tent, but a 
circus policeman chased him away. Then he went 
up to the ticket man and offered him a lettuce leaf, 
a little carrot and a penny. But the ticket man 
wouldn’t give him a ticket, so Billy Bunny sat down 
and tried to think how he was ever going to see the 
circus. Just then the elephant came up. Do you 
know how to ride"?” he asked. ‘‘Yes,” said Billy 
Bunny before he knew what he was saying. “ Then 
get on my back,” said the elephant, “ and I’ll take 
you inside.” 

And if the Baggage Man doesn’t take the Ele- 
phant’s trunk away from him. I’ll tell you in the 
next story how little Billy Bunny played on the 
Hornacopia ! 


CHAPTER XXI 


A S the Elephant entered the circus with Billy 
Bunny on his back, a man dressed all in gold 
lace and other things handed a Hornacopia to 
Billy Bunny and told him to blow on it. Now if 
you don’t know what a Hornacopia is, I’ll tell you: 
it’s shaped just like a Cornucopia, and is full of candy. 
When you blow on it, it shoots little candies, pink and 
green, and red and yellow. But it doesn’t make any 
noise. Oh my no! But the boys and girls do when 
they pick up the candies ! 

Well, the Elephant went round and round, and the 
little rabbit blew out candies to all the little boys and 
girls, and, oh my goodness, didn’t they have a good 
time. 

Everything was going along beautifully, when, all 
of a sudden, a terrible storm came up. It was a 
tornado, but nobody knew it until it lifted the big 
tent right off the ground and carried it away. Then 
it lifted the people from their seats and carried them 
off a long distance, and some of them didn’t get home 
that night. 

‘‘ Hold on tight! ” said the elephant when he felt 
himself going up, and you can just bet little Billy 

69 


70 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



THE ELEPHANT RE-FILLS THE POND 


Bunny did. The little rabbit knew that if he ever 
let go the tornado would take him clear up to the 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 71 


sky, for he was so much lighter than the elephant. 
By and by, it dropped them right in the middle of a 
pond, and they would have been drowned if the 
elephant hadn’t as quick as a wink sucked up all 
the water in his great big trunk. Just as soon as he 
got on land, he turned around and squirted the water 
back into the pond, so that all the fishes and other 
things didn’t die after all. 

Whew! ” said the elephant, that was a narrow 
escape. Now, as soon as I get my breath, I’m going 
back to the circus.” But Billy Bunny had enough 
of circuses, — that is for that day, so he said good-by 
and started off by himself. 

He hadn’t gone very far, just a little way, when 
a big black ant stopped him. 

Look out, Billy Bunny. Don’t go into the woods 
over there. If you do, you’ll never come out.” 

Stuff and nonsense! ” said Billy Bunny. Who’s 
afraid! ” 

You’ll be when the Dreadful Dwarf catches you,” 
called out the ant. 

And if our doormat doesn’t get a bad cold sleep- 
ing out on the piazza tonight, I’ll tell you next time 
what happened to Billy Bunny. 


CHAPTER XXII 


L et me see, now. Where did we leave off. Oh, 
yes, the Big Black Ant was telling Billy Bunny 
not to go into the woods for fear the Dreadful 
Dwarf would catch him, and Billy Bunny had replied, 
‘‘ Stuff and nonsense! Who’s afraid! ” Wasn’t this 
foolish of the little rabbit boy? And he thought so, 
too, a few minutes later when out of a hollow stump 
jumped the ugliest looking little dwarf you ever saw. 

In his hand he swung a long lasso and before the 
little rabbit knew what was going to happen, the 
lasso was around his neck and he was being hauled 
into the hollow stump. 

Let me go! Let me go! ” cried Billy Bunny, but 
the Dreadful Dwarf only laughea and pulled the 
harder, and before long the rabbit boy was inside 
the stump door and down a flight of little stone steps. 

Now I’ve got you! Ha, ha! ” chuckled the Dread- 
ful Dwarf, pushing the little rabbit in a dark room 
and closing the door. Then he turned the key in the 
lock and called through the keyhole after putting the 
key in his pocket, You just wait there till I get 
the fire made and the water boiling. 

‘‘Then Billy Bunny, IT come after you 
And make you into a nice juicy stew ! ’ ’ 

72 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 73 



THE DREADFUL DWARF CATCHES BILLY BUNNY 


All this time the Big Black Ant was very busy. As 
soon as she saw what had happened, she ran back to 
her anthill and told all her brothers and sisters and 
uncles and aunts, and in less time than it takes to 
even tell about it, they were all digging away under 
ground towards the hollow stump. And when they 
were quite close to the room where little Billy Bunny 
was, the Big Black Ant called out, ‘‘We’re almost to 
you, little rabbit! ” And then from the other side 
of the room the Dreadful Dwarf called through the 
keyhole, “ The fire is burning brightly and the water 
will soon be boiling! ” Goodness me! I’m getting so 
excited I can hardly make my typewriter go. I’m 


74 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


working just as hard as the Big Black Ant and if I 
hurry perhaps I can tell how she got there first ! 

Well, here goes! She did! ‘‘ Come with us,” she 
said, as she and all her relatives broke through the 
wall of Billy Bunny’s prison. “ Follow us as fast 
as you can, for the Dreadful Dwarf may open the 
door before we get away! ” In a few minutes the 
little rabbit was safe in the Big Black Ant’s house. 
And why didn’t the Dreadful Dwarf follow them? 
Because the ants would have stung him to death if 
he had. 

And if a mosquito doesn’t sting, I mean, sing me 
to sleep before I write the next story. I’ll tell you 
how the little rabbit went sailing on Lily Pond Lake. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


A fter Billy Bunny left the Big Black Ant, he 
walked along swinging his striped Candy Cane 
and singing to himself, 

^^How glad I am that I am free, 

Hereafter careful I shall be 
Of what I do and whom I meet, 

And try to be a bit discreet.’’ 

J ust then, all of a sudden, a nice looking old gentle- 
man duck waddled up and said, I’m going to take 
a swim on Lily Pond Lake. Want to come along? ” 
I don’t know how to swim very well,” answered 
the little rabbit. And, besides, it’s pretty cold for 
swimming. ’ ’ 

Well, then, come along and watch me,” said the 
old gentleman duck. “ Who knows, we may find a 
little boat for you.” 

So off they went to the pond, and when they got 
there, the duck fiapped his wings and waded into the 
water, leaving the little rabbit on the bank. The 
water looked very cold, for there were pieces of ice 
floating about, but the duck didn’t seem to care. 
He was having a fine time. 

75 


76 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



THE OLD GENTLEMAN DUCK ASKS BILLY BUNNY TO GO FOR A SWIM 

‘‘ I wish I had something to do,” thought the little 
rabbit, and just then he saw a little boat half hidden 
in the water grass. So he jumped in and gave the 
end of the boat-rope to the duck, who held it tight in 
his big strong bill and swam off. 

Isn’t this fine,” thought Billy Bunny. “ It’s 
just like a motor boat,” when, all of a sudden, bang! 
went the little boat into a turtle. Then it slid up on 
its back and overturned throwing the little rabbit into 
the cold ice water. 

And the big careless duck went swimming on just as 
if nothing had happened, and the little rabbit’s mouth 
and nose were so full of water that he couldn’t cry 
out, ‘‘ Stop! ” 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 77 

But when the turtle saw that it was an accident and 
that he hadn’t been bumped into on purpose, he said 
‘‘ Get on my back, little bunny, and I will take you 
to land.” But his back was so slippery that poor 
Billy Bunny couldn’t scramble up. He was just 
about to sink to the bottom of the pond because he 
was so tired he couldn’t keep up any longer, when 
the old gentleman duck turned round. And when he 
saw what was the matter, you should have seen him. 
Why, he was back in about two great flaps of his wings 
and three great big paddles. And he helped Billy 
Bunny into the little boat and got him ashore just 
like a regular life saving sailor man. And after that 
he took him home to Mrs. Duck, who made some hot 
ginger tea, after which Billy Bunny felt nice and 
warm and perfectly well. 

And if the school teacher isn’t kept in tomorrow 
for not knowing his Geography lesson. I’ll tell you 
what happened next to the little rabbit. 


CHAPTER XXIV 


T he day after Billy Bunny had fallen into the 
Lily Pond Lake, he was hopping along a dusty 
road, — I beg your pardon, I mean a muddy road, 
for it was early spring, when he came across a big 
sheep dog. In a big field on one side were a lot of 
sheep and little woolly lambs which the big sheep dog 
was taking care of. I don’t know why he went out 
into the road, unless, — why, yes, of course, he heard 
the little rabbit hopping along and thought it might 
be a tramp. 

Good morning,” said Billy Bunny; please don’t 
hurt me. I’m almost as woolly as a little lamb, and 
I’m a lot smaller.” 

Don’t worry,” said the sheep dog kindly, come 
inside the field and talk to me, for I see you are a 
traveller.” 

Yes, I am,” replied the little rabbit, laying down 
his red-striped candy cane and throwing off his little 
knapsack. ‘‘ I have come all the way from Old Brier 
Patch, Snake Fence Corner.” 

You don’t say so,” laughed the sheep dog. ‘‘ Well, 
I’ve never been much farther than this pasture. A 
shepherd dog is a stay-at-home dog. I sometimes wish 

78 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 79 



I’d been born just a common yellow dog to tramp all 
day long.” 

Billy Bunny opened his knapsack and took out a 
chocolate layer cake which kind Mrs. Duck had given 
him. 

Will you have some lunch? ” but the big shepherd 
dog said, No, thanks.” You see, he’d never tasted 
chocolate cake. 

Just try a piece,” urged the little rabbit. But 
before the sheep dog could reply, something happened. 
A big rattlesnake crawled out of the stone fence and 
stood up right in front of the little rabbit. 

Oh, a rattlesnake is an awful thing. It swings and 
swings in front of you until it makes your head so 
dizzy you can’t even run away. Poor little Billy 


80 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Bunny wasn’t able to move. And the big rattlesnake 
stuck out his long, thin red tongue and rattled his 
rattlers. Then he drew his head back to strike the 
little rabbit, when, quicker than a wink, the big sheep 
dog picked up Billy Bunny and ran off with him. 
And the big rattlesnake couldn’t hold himself back 
in time, and his head went right into the chocolate 
layer cake and stuck there, and then of course he 
couldn’t see. Then a big sheep stamped on him until 
he was mashed to a jelly. 

And in the next story, in case the doorbell doesn’t 
ring the pussy-cat’s neck. I’ll tell you about Billy 
Bunny and the Blue Bird. 


CHAPTER XXV 


L ittle Billy Bunny was mighty glad to escape 
Jfrom the rattlesnake. He picked up his candy 
cane and his knapsack and went off down the 
road, hippity-hop. And in a little while, not so very 
long, he heard a bird singing: 

‘‘Awake, awake, for spring is here; 

The Babbling Brook is ringing clear; 

Along its banks the grass is green. 

With violets hiding in between. 

The buds are opening on the trees. 

The swallow builds beneath the eaves. 

The snow and ice have passed away, 

And lovely spring is here to stay.^^ 

Oh little Blue Bird, is that really so? ” cried the 
little rabbit. “ I^m so glad.’’ 

‘‘Twitter, twitter,” chirped the bird, “ tirra-loo, 
loo, loo! blue, blue, blue, I’m the Blue Bird, tried 
and true! ” 

This made the little rabbit feel very happy and he 
hopped along, whistling merrily. All of a sudden, 
he heard some one whistling too. And what do you 
think it was that was making a noise like a whistle? 
Why, a peanut wagon with a little whistling stove! 

81 


82 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FKIENDS 



BILLY BUNNY BUYS PEANUTS FOR HIS MOTHER 


Nice fresh roasted peanuts/’ said the Italian 
man. Billy Bunny opened his knapsack and took 
out five bright pennies. “ I’ll take some home to 
Mother,” he said to himself. 

By and by he came to the Friendly Forest, and 
there underneath the Big Chestnut Tree stood Timmy 
Chipmunk. Pretty soon Denny Dormouse came out 
of his hole and sat in the sunshine, for Mr. Happy 
Sun was shining very bright and warm. 

Where have you been? ” asked Timmy Chipmunk. 

On a little journey,” answered Billy Bunny; 

I’ve been to the circus since I last saw you, and 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 83 


I rode on the elephant and blew the Hornacopia, 
and, — and, — ” but he didn’t have time to say another 
word, for at that instant Robber Hawk swooped down 
and if Billy Bunny hadn’t hopped to one side and 
then straight for the Old Brier Patch, I would have 
to end this story right here. Well sir, you never can 
tell by the size of a rabbit how far he can jump nor 
how fast he can hop. Billy Bunny went so fast that 
if he doesn’t stub his nose on the Old Brier Patch 
and break the point off my fountain pen. I’ll tell you 
next time about Billy Bunny’s rainy day. 


CHAPTER XXVI 


B illy bunny hopped out of Ms little warm 
bed one morning and went to the front door to 
see if Mr. Happy Sun was up. Oh dear! Oh 
dear and a little pink umbrella! You’d have thought 
Mr. Happy Sun was crying. But he wasn’t at all — 
it was only raining. 

Billy Bunny was dreadfully disappointed. You 
see that very most particular morning Billy Bunny 
had i^lanned to take a nice long walk through the 
Friendly Forest, down the Pleasant Meadow, through 
the Old Cow Path, to the Old Mill Pond, — and here 
it was raining! 

“I’m not going to let a few raindrops spoil my 
fun,” thought Billy Bunny, as he ran back into his 
room. “ I’ll put on my gum boots, and take my ice 
pick, for it may snow any minute, and I’ll carry the 
mushroom Uncle Bullfrog gave me before he went 
to sleep. 


“So out he started. 
And away he went 
On pleasure bent. 

If it rains very hard, 
84 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 85 



BILLY BUNNY WITH HIS TOADSTOOL UMBRELLA 


And rains very long 
I shallot care, for that 
Makes growing things strong. 
Then if the rain 
Turns into snow, 

Away and away 

With my ice pick I’ll go,” 

sang Billy Bunny. 


86 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Then he picked a lovely raspberry ice off the bushes 
and winked his little pink nose, — I mean wiggled his 
little pink nose, because it tasted so nice. Oh dear me ! 
I’m all twisted again. I didn’t mean his little pink 
nose tasted so nice, — I meant the raspberry ice! 

Billy Bunny hadn’t gone far, just a short distance, 
when Mr. Happy Sun pushed away the rain clouds 
and came bursting forth, flooding the world all about 
him in glad sunshine. And just then, all of a sudden. 
Daddy Fox came running up to him. 

See, Billy Bunny, this letter is for me,” shouted 
Daddy Fox in such a loud voice Billy Bunny almost 
lost his little toenail with fright. 

How do you know it’s for you? ” 

Because,” cried Daddy Fox, my picture’s on 
the outside.” 

‘‘ Ha, ha! Ho, ho! ” laughed Billy Bunny. You 
never can tell from the outside of anything what the 
inside may be. I often see my pictures on paper, 
but it isn’t for me, — it’s after me,” and Billy Bunny 
chuckled to himself and made a sound like the steam 
whistle on a little peanut wagon, at the same time 
scratching his little tail and looking cross-eyed. 

Now this is all for this time. And if the postman 
isn’t late in bringing the milk tomorrow morning. 
I’ll tell you how Billy Bunny woke up Old Grand- 
father Bullfrog. 


CHAPTER XXVII 


W ELL, when Daddy Fox saw that Billy Bunny 
wouldn’t believe that the letter was for him, 
even although it had a picture of a fox on 
the envelope, he gave a terrible growl and tore it open. 
And then he gave a low whine, as if he felt very badly. 

What’s — what’s the matter? ” gasped Billy 
Bunny, who was nearly scared to death. 

The man says in the letter that he has a lot of 
chickens to sell,” said Daddy Pox, but how can I 
buy them, — I haven’t got any money.” 

I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Billy Bunny. 
Then I’ll just eat you up instead,” cried Daddy 
Fox. And he would have, too, if Mr. Bear hadn’t 
come along just then. 

‘‘ What are you doing? ” shouted Mr. Bear, giving 
Daddy Fox a whack with his great big paw. After 
that. Daddy Fox didn’t feel like touching little Billy 
Bunny. No siree and a no siree-mam! He just 
slunk away to his den with his long bushy tail between 
his legs. 

When Billy Bunny reached the Old Mill Pond he 
hopped out on the ice just a little ways, for he wasn’t 
quite sure how strong it was. You see, Mr. Happy 

87 


88 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



eat you up, instead!” cried daddy fox 


Sun had been shining down pretty hard and the ice 
looked very watery and mushy. Then Billy Bunny 
took out his ice pick and began to make a hole in the 
ice. And after he had made it clear through, he 
leaned over and called down: 

‘‘Uncle Bullfrog! Uncle Bullfrog!” Now that 
good old gentleman was sound asleep in the mud at 
the bottom of the pond and didn’t hear Billy Bunny 
at first. When he did hear him, he stretched his long 
legs and pushed himself up. Then he swam up to the 
hole. 

“ What do you want, Billy Bunny? ” he asked. 
“ Don’t you know it’s not yet really spring? ” 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 89 


I hadn’t thought about that,” replied Billy 
Bunny. 

‘‘ Well, I’m not coming up until the ice is all gone,” 
said Uncle Bullfrog, and he went back to his mud 
bed on the bottom of the pond. Billy Bunny picked 
up his ice pick and turned away. Just then, all of a 
sudden, he heard a voice singing: 

‘ ‘ Ha-ha-ha ! Ho-ho-ho ! 

Spring is here or I^m no Crow! 

Guess you’d wish you were up in this tree 
If you saw what I see!’^ 

Billy Bunny turned around. There stood the Mil- 
ler’s Boy with his gun. 

Now don’t worry. I won’t let that gun hurt little 
Billy Bunny — not if I have to send a telegram to the 
Miller’s Boy telling him not to shoot! 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


L et me see now. Where were we when we left 
Joff? Oh yes, the Miller’s Boy was just going 
to shoot Billy Bunny. Well, I didn’t have to 
telegraph him not to, after all, — but I had to tele- 
phone. I was getting a little worried about it myself. 
You see, guns go off so easily. 

But now I must tell you what Billy Bunny did. 
As soon as he saw the gun, he jumped right into a 
hollow stump, and the Miller’s Boy ran up and threw 
his coat over the top of it and yelled: 

Now I’ve got you, Billy Bunny,” and began kick- 
ing the side of the stump with his copper-toed boots. 

‘^Goodness me!” thought Billy Bunny, ‘‘I no 
sooner get out of one thing than I’m in another.” 
But he didn’t give up hope. He took out his ice pick 
and began to dig. Just then, all of a sudden, he turned 
up a little trap-door. In he went, closing it just in 
time, for at that very instant the Miller’s Boy stuck 
his arm inside the stump. He groped about with his 
hand, but he couldn’t find anything nice and soft 
like a bunny. Then he peeked through a buttonhole 
in his coat, but that didn’t do any good. So he yanked 
off the coat and looked inside. 


90 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 91 



Where has that rabbit gone? ’’ he said. 

All this time Billy Bunny was hurrying through a 
long narrow passage, and by and by he came to the 
other end, which opened right out of a bank in the 
Friendly Forest. 

‘‘ Well, that was lucky,” he cried, wiping the dirt 
off his little fur jacket. ‘‘ I certainly thought this 
time the Miller’s Boy had me! ” 

Just then, all of a sudden, who should come along 
but a big grey wolf. 

Oh dear me,” cried Billy Bunny. ‘‘Now I’m a 
goner, I know it, I know it.” He looked around for 
a place to hide. But when one is in a hurry to find 
something there never seems to be anything around. 


92 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Don’t you run away,” growled the wolf. ‘‘ If 
you do, I’ll bite your head off.” 

‘‘ Oh please, oh please, Mr. Wolf, don’t touch me! ” 
cried poor little Billy Bunny. But the wolf was a 
cruel, hard-hearted, hungry beast. He grabbed up 
the little rabbit and put him in his sack. At first he 
was going to put him in his big red mouth, he was 
so dreadfully hungry. But then he thought he’d 
better take him home to Mrs. Wolf and the children. 

Well, it’s certainly going to be some job to get 
Billy Bunny out of that sack. I wonder if he has a 
Jack Knife in his pocket? 


CHAPTER XXIX 


W ELL, Billy Bunny did have a Jack Knife in 
his pocket, just as I thought, only I wasn’t 
sure, or I would have told you so in the 
last story. 

So, the first thing he did after the big grey wolf 
put him in the sack and threw it over his shoulder, 
was to hunt for his Jack Knife. Then he carefully 
cut a slit in the sack. But he didn’t slip out just then. 
Oh my no! Billy Bunny knew better than that. If 
he had, Mr. Wolf would have known it at once. The 
weight of the empty sack would tell him that even 
if it didn’t know how to talk. And Billy Bunny 
wasn’t going to take the chance of having Mr. Wolf 
turn around and grab him just as he reached the 
ground. So Billy Bunny just peeked out through 
the slit and waited. By and by Mr. Wolf sat down 
on a stone to rest. He let the sack slip to the ground 
very carefully. Then he took out his pipe and filled 
it with tobacco, and sat and smoked a while. 

Pretty soon Billy Bunny slipped out of the sack. 
But before he ran off he put a big stone in it and 
pinned up the hole with three pine-needle pins. Then 
he hid behind a tree. And just in time, for Mr. Wolf 

93 


94 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



BILLY BUNNY PUTS A STONE IN MR. WOLF’S BAG 


got up, put his pipe away in his vest pocket, and 
slung the sack over his back. 

“ My, but youVe grown heavy and hard,” cried 
Mr. Wolf, as the sack hit his back. ‘‘I’m afraid 
you’re a very tough bunny.” 

After a little while Billy Bunny came out from 
behind the tree and started for home. “ If I can only 
get back without being caught by something or some- 
body, I shall be the happiest little bunny in all the 
wide, wide world.” 

But, oh dear me ! he lost his way, and after hopping 
along for about an hour, he came to the seashore. 
And right on the beach was a little crab. “ Hello 
there, Billy Bunny! ” But the waves made so much 
noise that the little rabbit didn’t hear him, so the 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 95 


little crab crawled over and pinched Billy Bunny on 
the left hind toe, and said, ‘‘ Why don’t you answer 
a fellow? ” 

Well, just then a great big whale swam up to the 
shore and said: Get on my back, little rabbit, and 
take a sail.” And would you believe it, Billy Bunny 
wasn’t the least bit afraid. He hopped on the whale’s 
back and sat down on the little seat. 

‘‘Then away went the Whale 
With a swish of his tail, 

As fast as he oughter 
Right over the water 
All foamy and green. 

If a bad submarine 
Should torpedo the Whale 
I hope Billy Bunny 
Won’t haul down the sail.” 

P. S. — I’ll try to send the next story by wireless, 
so you can read what Billy Bunny does on The Big 
Blue Sea! 


CHAPTER XXX 


W ELL, the Whale and Billy Bunny had a lovely 
time out on the big blue ocean, and as no 
submarine came near them, nothing hap- 
pened, until, all of a sudden, the Whale ran on a coral 
reef where there were three pretty mermaids combing 
their long hair with pearly combs. 

They were so glad to see a little white rabbit that 
they told the Whale they would give him a box of 
candy if he would leave Billy Bunny with them for 
a playfellow. And another mermaid said she wished 
she didn’t have a tail any bigger than Billy Bunny’s, 
which made the Whale laugh so hard that he split 
the coral island right in two and one of the mermaids 
fell into the water and got all wet. Then she tickled 
the Whale until he cried, and if Billy Bunny hadn’t 
asked her to stop, I don’t know what would have 
happened. 

Then the three mermaids took Billy Bunny into 
their Coral Castle and showed him lots and lots of 
lovely shells, and one they gave him was just like a 
whistle, and when you blew on it, it made a lovely 
sound. 

By and by the Whale got tired of waiting and 
called out, All aboard! ” 


96 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 97 



Good-by! ” cried Billy Bimny, and he hopped 
on just in time, for the Whale is a very impatient 
sort of a fish and never waits for anybody, except his 
own wife. 

Then the little rabbit stood up on his hind legs and 
waved his striped candy cane to the three pretty mer- 
maids on the coral island shore, and sang out as loud 
as he could: 

Good-by, little mermaids, good-by; 

You are sweet as a nice custard pie. 

Think of me on the sea, 

Sailor Bunny so free, 

Good-by, little mermaids, good-by!’’ 

Then the Whale spouted water high in the air and 
the three mermaids called out: 


98 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


^‘Good-by, Biimiy Boy, good-by; 

If you forget us we will cry; 

For weVe never seen a Bunny 
Who was half so sweet and cunny, 

So good-by, little Bunny, good-by!^’ 

Well, after that, they came alongside a great big 
warship. And all the sailor boys crowded to the rail 
and let down a rope ladder, and Billy Bunny hopped 
up just as if he had been a jolly little sailor bunny 
all his life. Then the captain said, Admiral Bunny ” 
(I guess he thought the little rabbit belonged to the 
U. S. Navy), if your Whaleship needs anything, 
let me know.” 

I want an American Flag,” said Billy Bunny 
quickly. 

And if he doesn’t get it in the next story. I’ll have 
my tailorman make him one. 


CHAPTER XXXI 


W ELL, just as soon as Billy Bunny said he 
wanted an American Flag for his Whale- 
ship, as I told you in the last story, the 
Captain gave him a beautiful Red, White and Blue 
Flag, with Silver Stars on the Blue part. And, good- 
ness gracious me! You should have heard all the 
Sailor Boys cheer. And as for the Whale, he tossed 
his tail up in the air and shouted: 

‘^Hip, hip hurray, 

I’ll sail the ocean way. 

Upon its billows white and green 
Our starry flag shall now be seen. 

With Billy Bunny on my back 
A Captain brave I shall not lack. 

Oh, I’m a jolly, jolly Whale 
And laugh at tempest, storm or gale!” 


Hurrah, hurray! ’’ cried the little rabbit, saluting 
the Captain with his right forepaw. Then he hopped 
down the rope ladder to his Whaleship, and away 
he went, the Whale spouting great high streams of 
water and tossing his tail up and singing: 

99 


100 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



BILLY BUNNY FOOLS THE SWORDFISH 


‘‘Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue I 
Billy Bunny on his Whaleship so true, 

We will sail o’er the sea 
He’s the Captain for me. 

And you’ll laugh at the things we will do.” 

Just then, all of a sudden, quicker than a flipper 
could flip (excuse me if I stop at this exciting place 
to tell you that a flipper is a fish’s foot!), a wicked 
swordfish rushed at the Whale. Oh dear! Oh dear! 
The Whale couldn’t dive into the water and hide, for 
he had the little rabbit on his back. And he couldn’t 
turn around quick enough, for he was too big, and 
he couldn’t fly up into the air like a flying fish, for 
he had no wings. So what could he do"? Well sir, 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 101 


you’d hardly believe it, but Billy Bunny took a 
rubber boot from his knapsack, and just as the dread- 
ful swordfish was going to stick his sword into the 
Whale, the little rabbit slipped the rubber boot over 
it, and the Swordfish bounced back and the Whale 
wasn’t hurt the least bit. Now wasn’t that lucky? 
Well, I just guess it was. If it hadn’t been for that 
rubber boot the Whaleship would have been torpedoed 
and the little rabbit drowned. 

Now if the ocean waves don’t blow and the salt 
water doesn’t get into Billy Bunny’s ears. I’ll tell 
you in the next story more about Billy Bunny and 
the Whale. 


CHAPTER XXXII 


O P course the Swordfish swam away with Billy 
Bunny’s rubber boot on his sword, but one 
can’t go into a fight without losing something, 
and it was lucky the little rabbit didn’t lose both his 
boots! Well, anyway, the Whale was so thankful 
that the wicked Swordfish hadn’t cut a big hole in 
his side that he said he’d buy Billy Bunny a new pair 
of rubber boots. I think I can get them at the 
lighthouse over there.” 

^‘Yankee Doodle Billy Bunny 
Riding on a Whale, 

Stuck his rubber boot upon 
The wicked Swordfish tail.” 

Wait a moment, please. What he meant was that 
Billy Bunny had stuck it on his sword. When a 
Whale spouts poetry he’s liable to say ’most anything, 
you know! 

By and by they came to the Lighthouse and the 
keeper asked them what they wanted. 

‘‘ Have you any rubber boots'? ” asked the Whale. 
And then he told the man what Billy Bunny had 
done, and the lighthouse keeper laughed so hard that 

103 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 103 





A PRESENT FROM UNCLE LUCKY LEFTHINDFOOT 


the tears ran down his cheeks and put out his pipe. 
Then he went inside the lighthouse and brought out 
a little pair of rubber boots. These here boots 
belong to my little boy, but you kin hev them,” he 
said, for I never heard of so brave a bunny in my 
time.” 

Then the Whale swam off and Billy Bunny stood 
up on his back and sang to the Lighthouse Keeper: 

‘‘Keep your Big Lamp burning bright 
Through the dark and stormy night, 

So the Sailor Boy can guide 
Safe his boat upon the tide. 


104 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Let the light shine strong and free 
Far across the pathless sea, 

So that neither wind nor foam 
Keep the sailor from his home.’’ 

After this, the Whale took the little rabbit back to 
the land. 

And as Billy Bunny went one way and the Whale 
the other, by and by they were so far apart they 
couldn’t see each other. And then something hap- 
pened to the little rabbit. A Mail Wagon almost ran 
over him. You see, Billy Bunny was so excited that 
he didn’t hear it coming at all. 

‘‘ I wonder if there’s a letter for me'? ” And then, 
all of a sudden, he hopped after the wagon and jumped 
up on the little step at the back. And there, right in 
front of him, was a package marked — 

Master William Bunny, 

Old Brier Patch, 

Snake Pence Corner. 

‘‘It’s for me!” shouted the little rabbit. The 
driver almost jumped off his seat, for the little bunny’s 
shout frightened him nearly to death. 

“ Yes, it’s for you,” said the postman driver. “ I 
thought you was a robber holding me up. I hev to 
be mighty keerful of Uncle Sam’s letters these days! ” 

The little rabbit boy opened the package, and what 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 105 

do you think he found"? You would never guess, so 
Idl tell you right off. It was a big gold watch and 
chain. And it was from Uncle Lucky Lefthindfoot. 

Uncle Lucky,” as he was always called, for he was 
very rich and of course he was very lucky to be rich, 

“Now isn’t that nice,” said Billy Bunny to him- 
self, and he opened the little note that came with it, 
and read: 

my dear nephew, William Bunny, from Uncle 
Lucky. ’ ^ 

“ I’ll go right off now and thank him,” thought 
the little rabbit, and away he hopped. And by and 
by, just as he reached the road that led to his uncle’s 
house, a big storm came up. The rain fell in buckets 
full, and the lightning crashed, and Willie Wind 
broke off the tops of the trees. The little rabbit was 
so scared that he hopped into a hollow stump. 

“ Who are you"? ” cried a gruff voice. 

And if the raindrops don’t turn into gumdrops and 
break the windows in the candy store. I’ll tell you in 
the next story who the gruff voice belonged to. 


CHAPTER XXXIII 


“T ^ THO are you? ” cried the gruff voice again, 
V V the little rabbit boy hopped into the 
hollow stump to get out of the rain. 

“ It’s me, Billy Bunny.” 

‘‘ Oh, it’s you, is it? ” and an old owl closed the 
door with a bang. 

a There, it’s locked,” said the old owl, turning 
the key and putting it in his vest pocket. If people 
will come into my house without knocking, they 
shan’t get out so easily.” 

‘‘ Oh, please Mr. Owl,” cried the little bunny boy, 

I didn’t know it was your house, and it was raining 
so hard that I just popped in to get out of the wet. 
I didn’t mean to stay and bother you.” 

“ No bother, at all, I assure you,” said the old owl. 
‘‘ In fact, I’m glad you came. I won’t have to go out 
now for my supper. I’m very fond of lij;tle rabbits, 
very fond indeed.” 

Now wasn’t this an awful thing to have said to 
you? It made the little rabbit’s flesh creep and his 
hair stand on end. 

Just then there was an awful crash and a big tree 
fell on top of the stump and broke it right in two. 

106 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 107 



THE POT OF GOLD 


Out jumped the little rabbit and hopped away as 
fast as he could. The rain had stopped and across 
the sky was a beautiful rainbow. And one end of it 
rested right in the chimney of Uncle Lucky’s house. 

Oh me, oh my! ” said little Billy Bunny. ‘‘ Isn’t 
Uncle Lefthindfoot lucky? I’ll bet anything that’s 
the end of the rainbow that has the pot of gold and 
I’ll find it on the hearth when I get to the house.” 
So he hurried along as fast as he could, and when he 
got inside he was so excited that he forgot to say 
how do you do to Uncle Lucky or to thank him for 
the gold watch and chain. He just ran into the 


108 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


kitchen to see if the pot of gold had fallen down the 
chimney. And sure enough it had. There it was on 
the top of the kitchen stove, and if Uncle Lucky 
had not taken it off mighty quick, the gold would 
have been melted into a thick soup, only of course 
it wouldn’t be good to eat. 

‘‘Well, well, well!” cried Uncle Lucky. “I’m 
glad I sent you the gold watch and chain, for if you 
hadn’t come to see me, I never would have found 
the pot of gold until it had all burned up.” 

And if the rainbow doesn’t shoot a pink and blue 
arrow into the sun, so he won’t be able to get up 
tomorrow morning. I’ll tell you in the next story 
more about Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky. 


CHAPTER XXXIV 


W HEN Uncle Lucky looked in the pot of gold 
which the rainbow had dropped down the 
chimney, he found that it was full of ten- 
dollar gold pieces. So he took out a big handful and 
gave them to Billy Bunny. Now you have gold 
dollars as well as a gold watch and chain, so you 
must always love your Uncle Lucky! ” 

Then the old gentleman rabbit got his automobile 
out and took Billy Bunny for a ride. It was the 
first time the little bunny boy had ridden in an auto- 
mobile and it was lots of fun. After they had gone 
a long ways they came to the Old Farm. 

u I^m going to buy some fresh eggs,” said Uncle 
Lucky. But little Henny Jenny couldn’t change the 
ten-dollar gold piece. 

Well, I’ll take ten dollars’ worth of eggs, then,” 
said Uncle Lucky. So they filled up the back of the 
automobile with eggs, and as there weren’t enough 
of Henny Jenny’s, they got some from Goosie Loosie 
and Mrs. Duck. The automobile was now full, and 
Uncle Lucky started for home. 

But, oh dear me ! Something awful happened. 
The automobile began to run from side to side, and 

109 


110 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



the next instant, bang ! it went right into a tree ! All 
the eggs flew out, and some hit Uncle Lucky and some 
hit the little rabbit boy, and others hit the tree and 
spattered all over everything. And Uncle Lucky 
looked like a poached egg and Billy Bunny like an 
omelet ! 

It took them two hours and forty-nine minutes and 
nine hundred and fifty seconds to clean themselves, 
and then they weren’t clean! And the automobile! 
Well, by this time the old gentleman rabbit was so 
tired that he had to sit down and rest. By and by 
they started to clean the automobile, but they used 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 111 


so much gasolene there wasn’t any left, so of course 
it wouldn’t go. 

“ Well, this is a nice pickle,” said Uncle Lucky. 

I’ll have to change my name or get a new auto- 
mobile; the two don’t go together any more.” 

Just then, who should come along but the circus 
elephant. 

I’ll push it home for you,” he said. ‘‘ Get in 
and steer! ” So Uncle Lucky grabbed the steering 
wheel and the little rabbit boy jumped in the back 
seat to watch the elephant, and pretty soon they were 
safe home at Uncle Lucky’s. 

And if our black cat doesn’t shave off his whiskers 
with my safety razor so he can’t tickle the little grey 
mouse. I’ll tell you next time about Billy Bunny and 
the elephant. 


CHAPTER XXXV 


I THINK I’ll take a little trip with my friend 
the elephant,” said Billy Bunny as he said 
good-by to Uncle Lucky. The little rabbit 
and the big elephant hadn’t gone so very far when 
they came to a travelling photographer. His picture 
gallery was on wheels, and the old grey horse that 
pulled it from place to place was eating the grass 
close by. 

“ Let’s have our pictures taken,” said Billy Bunny. 
It took the elephant almost five minutes to squeeze 
through the door, and the photographer said if any- 
thing was broken he wouldn’t take their pictures. 
So the elephant was very careful, and that was the 
reason it took him so long to squeeze through. 

The man then got out his biggest camera and put 
the black cloth over his head and looked through 
the peek hole. But he couldn’t see Billy Bunny at 
all. 

Where are you, little rabbit?” he called, while 
he turned something round and round on the front 
of the camera. 

‘‘ Here I am,” cried the little bunny boy; and sure 
enough, he was there all right, only he was hidden 
behind the elephant’s foot. Then the picture man 
112 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 113 



‘‘now look pleasant, if you please!’^ 


pulled his head out from under the black cloth and 
came over and fixed the little rabbit so he would be 
taken all right. And as the elephant wouldn’t keep 
his head still, but kept swinging it back and forth, 
just the way he did in the circus, the picture man 
got out an iron headrest and placed it back of the 
elephant’s head and screwed it tight, so that he 
couldn’t wiggle his head and spoil the picture. 

Then the photographer said: 

^‘Now look pleasant if you please, 

And be sure you do not sneeze. 

Hold your trunk up like a rifle! 

Billy Bunny, smile a trifle! 

Watch for birdie, if you please, 

Till the rubber ball I squeeze!” 


114 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


After that he went into a dark room, while Billy 
Bunny and the elephant looked at the pictures of 
Daddy Fox and his family. 

When the photographs were finished, Billy Bunny 
and the elephant thought they looked lovely in the 
little pink frames. But before they left, the photog- 
rapher took off the door, so that the elephant wouldn’t 
have to squeeze so hard to get out! 

‘‘ Your camera takes a very good picture,” said 
Billy Bunny, which pleased the travelling photog- 
rapher very much. 

And if his camera doesn’t take the measles before 
tomorrow, so that it has to call in the doctor bird. 
I’ll tell you next time, — well, just wait and see, for 
I don’t know myself just this minute what is going 
to happen! 


CHAPTER XXXVI 


A fter Billy Bunny and the elephant left the 
photograph gallery they travelled along for 
some time without meeting with any adventure. 
All of a sudden a voice sang from a tree-top, ‘‘ Ker- 
loo! ker-loo! ker-loo! ’’ 

Who’s that? ” cried the little rabbit. He didn’t 
know it was a killy-loo bird. Neither did the elephant. 
“ Who are you? ” asked the bunny boy. 

‘‘I’m killy-loo, the Rainbow Bird.” 

“My eyes are pink, 

And my bill is blue, 

And my feathers shine 
With a yellow hue. 

Some people say 
It is absurd 
To be such a 
Many-coloured bird. 

But that’s the reason 
VW tell to you, 

They call me the 
Rainbow Killy-loo!” 

115 


116 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



“roll me like a hoop!” said the snake 


Fly away, you old feathered paintbox! ” cried 
the elephant crossly. Then he and the little rabbit 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 117 


went off. But they hadn’t gone very far, when a 
green snake glided out of its hole. He took the end 
of his tail in his mouth and said to the little rabbit: 

Roll me like a hoop! ” 

But Billy Bunny was afraid, so the big elephant 
picked up the snake and rolled him along with his 
trunk for a hoop stick. And this made two little 
squirrels laugh so hard that they fell off the tree 
right on top of the elephant. Then they began to 
turn somersaults on his back, and this made little 
Billy Bunny think he ought to do something more, 
so he jumped over backwards and stood on his head. 

While all this was going on, who should come by 
but a tin peddler, who took out a little tin trumpet 
and began playing lovely dance music. 

Well, you should have been there. It was splendid. 
Just like the circus. 

By and by the tin peddler said : ^ ‘ If I can find 
enough tent-cloth in my bag. I’ll make a big tent and 
we’ll have a regular circus.” 

And if the conductor doesn’t charge five cents extra 
for ringing the bell every time a passenger gets off 
the car. I’ll tell you in the next story why the elephant 
wouldn’t belong to the tin peddler’s circus. 


CHAPTER XXXVII 


“ T" ALREADY belong to a circus,’’ said the elephant 

X when the tin peddler began looking for the tent- 
cloth in his bag, ‘‘ I wouldn’t join another, 
not if you paid me my weight in gold! ” 

“ In that case, we won’t have a circus,” said the 
peddler, for what would a circus be without an 
elephant.” 

By this time everybody was tired, anyway, so Billy 
Bunny and the elephant said good-by and started 
off again on their travels. 

Let me see,” said the elephant, I’ve been away 
three days of my week’s vacation, so there are only 
four left.” 

‘‘We’d better make the most of them, then,” said 
little Billy Bunny, “ for I shall be sorry to lose so 
fine a fellow as you.” 

It was now noontime, so they sat down to eat their 
lunch. The little rabbit opened his knapsack and 
took out a bottle of lemon soda, two carrots and a bag 
of peanuts, and he and the elephant had all they 
wanted to eat. By and by they both fell sound asleep. 
And then what do you suppose happened? A big 
eagle fiew by and picked up the elephant in his great 
strong claws. If the little rabbit had only waked up in 
118 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 119 



time, he might have saved his big friend; but he 
didn’t, — that is, until about an hour after, and then 
it was too late. 

When the bunny boy opened his eyes he was sur- 
prised not to see the elephant. He looked up into 
the tree and under a stone, but of course he couldn’t 
find him. Just then he heard a little grasshopper say: 

‘‘As I was a-hopping down the grass 
A great big eagle overhead did pass; 

In his claws he held an elephant, 

Which made the eagle gasp and pant; 

For the elephant weighed a ton, I guess, 

Although he might have weighed a little less!” 


120 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Which way did they go? ’’ asked Billy Bunny. 
When he found out, he hopped off as fast as he could 
to rescue his elephant friend. 

By and by he came to the foot of the high mountain 
where the eagle had his nest. And when the elephant 
saw him coming, he took a little flag from his pocket 
and waved it. And when the big eagle saw the 
American Flag, he said: 

Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue! 

Now I know you are both good and true. 

I will say 
Right away 
I was only in play, 

For I am the bird, as you must have heard. 

Who .fights for the big U. S. A. !” 

And he picked up the big elephant and carried him 
down safely to Billy Bunny. 

And if the lemon lolly-pop doesn’t drop off its stick 
and roll under my typewriter. I’ll tell you next time 
how the elephant uni^acked his trunk ! 


CHAPTER XXXVIII 


L et me think. In the last story I i^romised to tell 
Jyon how the elephant unpacked his trunk. Well, 
I can’t, for when he got back to the circus, he’d 
lost the key. But as that was the only piece of bad 
luck on his vacation, he didn’t care very much; he 
just borrowed a clean collar from the monkey and 
started right in as if nothing had happened. 

Now, let’s go back to little Billy Bunny. He was 
hopping along as usual, when he came across his 
friend the grasshopper. 

Didn’t you find your elephant friend? ” 

Oh yes,” replied the little rabbit. He’s back 
at the circus. Wliat are you going to do? ” 

“ I’ll tell you,” replied the grasshopper. ‘‘ Listen 
to me: 


‘ ‘ In the sweet by and by, 

When the sun is shining high, 

I shall sing a merry song, 

And shall sing it all day long, 

Happy little Hopper, I, 

In this wheat by and by.” 

And now that I’ve told you, there’s nothing more 

to say,” and he hopped into the field. 

121 


122 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



MR. CROW THINKS HE’S WOUNDED 

After a little ways, not so very far, Billy Bunny 
came to a ploughed field, and the first person he saw 
was Mr. Crow. He was just dropping down from a 
tree-top. 

What are you going to do? ” asked Billy Bunny. 

Well, there’s one thing I’m not going to do,” 
answered the old crow, pointing to the farmer and his 
hired man, who were planting corn. I’m not going 
anywhere near them! ” 

And then Mr. Crow showed the little rabbit how to 
scratch up the yellow kernels which were already 
planted. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 123 


Just then, all of a sudden, bang! went something, 
and Mr. Crow fluttered and hopped off to the Friendly 
Forest. And so did Billy Bunny. But I don’t mean 
he fluttered. He hopped, but lots better than Mr. 
Crow. And when they were safe among the trees, 
Mr. Crow said, I’m shot.” 

Oh dear me,” said the little rabbit, I wish I 
were a doctor.” But there wasn’t any use in wishing, 
and pretty soon Mr. Crow became very sick. ‘‘I’m 
going to die, I know it,” he cried. “ Let me look at 
your wing,” said Billy Bunny, for that was the place 
where the old crow had been hit. But there wasn’t 
even a scratch on it. When Mr. Crow learned this, 
he flapped his wings and said he felt better. And 
pretty soon he flew away. 

And if the pepperbox doesn’t drop some pepper in 
the ice cream and make it cry so it won’t freeze. I’ll 
tell you next time about Billy Bunny and the firefly. 


CHAPTER XXXIX 


“T ^ TELL, that was a rude old bird,’’ said little 

V V Billy Bunny after the crow flew off; “he 
didn’t even thank me for telling him he 
wasn’t hurt. But I don’t care,” and the little bunny 
picked a big sunflower and stuck it in his buttonhole. 
Then he hopped off down the road, and by and by 
he came to a robin tugging away at a big worm. 
But the worm wouldn’t come out of his hole and the 
robin wouldn’t let go, so there they were, tugging 
away as hard as they could. And I don’t know who 
would have given in first if a big black cat hadn’t 
made a jump for the pretty robin redbreast. 

“ Bid you ever see such luck? ” said the cat as the 
robin flew away. But the little worm didn’t answer; 
he just winked at Billy Bunny and crawled back into 
his hole. 

“ If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” said 
the little rabbit, and he hopped off into the woods to 
get out of the hot sun. And after a little ways, not 
so very far, he came to a nice cool place, so he sat 
down to rest, and by and by he fell fast asleep. And 
when he woke up it was so dark he couldn’t see his 
hand behind his face ! 


124 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 125 



‘‘ Dear me,” said the little rabbit, I haven’t any- 
thing to eat and I’m as hungry as two or three wild- 
cats. I wish I could see my way, I might find some- 
thing to eat! ” 

I’ll light my little lantern and you can follow 
me,” said a little firefiy. So Bunny picked up his 
striped candy cane and threw his knapsack over his 
shoulder and fixed the sunfiower straight in his 
buttonhole, and then he looked at his gold watch and 
chain. And do you know it was nearly fourteen 
o’clock! ‘‘ It’s pretty late for supper.” Just then 
the firefly’s lantern went out and he stubbed his toe. 


126 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


I guess it is,” said the firefly. ‘‘ But if you don’t 
find something to eat before morning, you’ll have to 
wait for breakfast.” 

Well, just then, the firefly’s lantern showed a little 
toadstool table, and on it was a big apple pie. 

‘‘ Well, here we are,” cried Billy Bunny, and he 
and the firefly sat down and began to eat the pie. And 
every now and then the firefly put out her lantern and 
took more pie, but the little rabbit didn’t care, for 
he could eat forty times as fast as she could. 

All of a sudden, just like that, a big Owl flew down 
and said, What do you mean by eating my pie, 
Mr. Rabbit? ” But the firefly held her lantern right 
in his face, so that the light blinded his eyes, for 
Owls can only see in the dark, you know, so that 
Billy Bunny had time to hop away before the Owl 
could catch him. 

And if the baker’s little girl doesn’t string a lot of 
nice hot doughnuts around her neck for a necklace, 
so that she can’t get them off when she goes to bed. 
I’ll tell you in the next story about the big dog that 
chased Billy Bunny. 


CHAPTER XL 


The yellow sun is up each morn 
Before the old cow blows her horn, 

Unless iUs cloudy overhead, 

And then he sometimes stays in bed. 

And if it’s raining, oh dear me! 

He won’t get up till half-past three. 

B illy bunny opened his knapsack and took 
out his little pink umbrella. Then off he hopped, 
over the puddles, till he came to a rubber plant. 
And as it was still raining pitchforks, he pulled two 
nice rubber boots off the plant and put them on. 
‘‘ Now I wonT get my feet wet; but I do wish it would 
rain something besides pitchforks! ” 

Well, after a while, his wish came true, and Mr. 
Happy Sun got out of bed, and it wasn’t quite half- 
past three either. And of course then it stopped 
raining right away. So Billy Bunny took off his 
umbrella and folded up his rubbers and put them 
carefully away in his knapsack, ‘‘ For who knows,” 
he said, when it may rain again? ” 

Billy Bunny certainly looked like a little soldier 
rabbit as he hopped along, little knapsack on his back 
and his striped candy cane over his shoulder like a 

127 


128 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



‘‘bow wow!” said the dog close at billy bunny’s heels 


gun. And how brave he felt, too! Yes siree, he did! 

All of a sudden, quicker than that, out popped a 
big dog from behind the bushes. Well sir, you should 
have seen that little rabbit run. He went so fast that 
his rubber boots in his knapsack couldn’t keep up 
with him! 

Bow, wow, wow! ” said the dog, close at his heels. 
Three and a half times he nearly had Billy Bunny’s 
tail. 

‘‘ Oh dear, oh dear! ” cried the little rabbit, ‘‘ I 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 129 


never went so fast before in all my life; but IVe got 
to go faster! ’’ 

“ Bow, wow, wow! ” barked the dog, and he got so 
close to Billy Bunny that he grabbed him by the 
tail, — not really his tail, you know, but only a little 
of the fur! 

On and on they went until, all of a sudden, Billy 
Bunny turned around and pointed his little candy 
cane just like a gun at the big dog. And would you 
believe it, that great big dog stopped right then and 
there. He thought, you know, that Billy Bunny had 
a real gun. It was a very brave thing in Billy Bunny 
to do, for of course he really only had a little candy 
cane. 

And that big dog turned around, with his tail 
between his legs, and ran and ran and ran, and if 
he doesn’t stop running before he hits my inkstand 
and spills all my typewriter, I’ll tell you next time 
something more about Billy Bunny. 


CHAPTER XLI 


Just a song at twilight, 

When the sun is low, 

And the fireflies’ lanterns 
Swinging to and fro. 

Just a gentle murmur 
Down the evening breeze. 

Sings to sleep the birdies 
In the leafy trees. 

I T makes me sleepy to write this little lullaby, so 
you can easily see how sleepy it made Billy Bunny 
to hear it sung by a soft sweet voice. 

It was a little thrush singing to her baby birds. 
And every now and then, Willie Wind blew on the 
little horns of the honeysuckle flower, and they made 
such soft music that the little rabbit crept into a 
hollow tree and went fast asleep. 

And by and by, about the middle of the night, he 
woke up and saw Baddy Fox, Old Man Weasel and 
Robber Mght Hawk all talking together. 

Wasn’t that an awful sight? It made him shiver 
all over. How he wished he was back in the dear Old 
Brier Patch! ‘‘ Oh dear! Oh dear! I wish I’d 
never started out to travel.” 

Well, after a while, the three robbers started to 

130 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 131 




BILLY BUNNY ON THE AMERICAN EAGLE 


go away. Just then the sharp eyes of Old Man Weasel 
saw the tip of the little rabbit’s nose. It twinkled 
just like a little star, for Billy Bunny was badly 
frightened. 

‘^Look!” cried Old Man Weasel, there’s some- 
thing good to eat! ” And then the three robbers 
came over to the hollow tree. 

‘‘I’m lost this time, I know it! ” cried the little 
rabbit. 


132 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Just then lie saw a little ladder, so up he hopped 
as fast as he could, and when he got to the top whom 
do you suppose he saw? Why, the big kind American 
Eagle. And when he found out what was the matter, 
he told the little rabbit boy to get on his back and 
he would fly away with him. It didn’t take Billy 
Bunny long to do this, for the fox and the weasel 
and the hawk were climbing up the ladder as fast as 
they could. 

Now, where do you want to go? ” asked the eagle. 

Oh, take me back to the Brier Patch in Old 
Snake Pence Corner,” said the little bunny boy. 

And if the clothes-pins on Mrs. Bunny’s clothes 
line don’t run away with the clothes and sell them 
to the Rag Man, I’ll tell you in the next story how 
Billy Bunny took a ride in the ferryboat. 


CHAPTER XLII 


W ELL, the big kind American Eagle, as I 
was saying in the last story, flew away with 
Billy Bunny, and Daddy Fox, Old Man 
Weasel and Robber Night Hawk were as angry as 
they could be. By and by the Eagle said: There 
comes Mr. Happy Sun up the sky. I didn’t know 
morning was so near. I’m afraid I can’t carry you 
all the way home, for I haven’t time.” 

It was very nice and warm on the eagle’s back 
and his feathers were very soft, so that Billy Bunny 
just hated to get off. Besides, he was quite sleepy. 

Well, good-by,” said the Eagle, and flew away. 
But of course the little rabbit thanked him before he 
went. 

Then Billy Bunny rubbed his eyes with his left hind 
foot and winked his ears and twinkled his nose. 
Then he felt lots better, and off he hopped. By and 
by he came to a wide river. So he looked around to 
And a way to cross over, for there wasn’t any bridge. 
And just as he was going to turn away, a little ferry- 
boat came up to the bank. 

Want to cross? ” asked the ferryman, who was 
a weather-beaten Billy Goat with a long beard. 

133 


134 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



“ What do you charge? ” asked the little rabbit. 

Oh, I don’t know,” replied the Billy Groat. You 
see, every one has a different kind of money, so I 
take what is given me.” At last, Billy Bunny found 
a carrot in his pocket. 

That’ll do,” said the ferryboat man. So off they 
started. The Goat climbed up on the bicycle seat 
and began to pedal away. This turned the paddle 
wheel and the little rowboat went along at a great rate. 

I made this ferryboat myself,” explained the 
Goat. I used to ride a bicycle, but when the tires 
busted and the wheels wore out, I put the old thing 
in the middle of my rowboat and fastened the paddle 
wheels on the side.” 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 135 


But just then, all of a sudden, a big shark swam 
up and bit off a big piece of the boat, and it began 
to sink. Wasn’t this terrible"? The boat was fast 
filling with water, and there was the dreadful shark 
swimming around and around, all ready to swallow 
them. 

Get on my back,” said the Goat, and I’ll swim 
to shore.” But the terrible shark got right in front 
of them and opened his great big mouth. Then the 
Billy Goat hooked him with his horns, one, two, three 
times, and the shark began to cry because it hurt him 
so. And after that the goat, with the little rabbit on 
his back, reached the shore safely. 

And if the postage stamp doesn’t get licked for 
opening my letter in the morning and reading all 
the nice things people are saying about Billy Bunny, 
I’ll tell you in the next story about his ride in the 
stage coach. 


CHAPTER XLIII 


“ TT TELL, I didn’t think you’d get ashore,” said 
▼ V the driver of the stage coach, as the goat, 
with Billy Bunny on his back, waded out 
of the river. The driver was an Old Dog, with a big 
pipe in his mouth, and instead of horses, he drove 
a pair of small donkeys, whose ears were almost as 
long at the little rabbit’s ears. ‘‘ Get in, for we’re 
late already,” and the Old Dog picked up the reins 
and snapped his whip. 

Inside the stage coach was an old Gander who had 
come down to take a swim, but on seeing the shark 
he had changed his mind. ‘‘I’m disappointed,” he 
remarked. 

“ You’d rather be that than eaten,” said the Goat. 

“ Exactly,” squawked the Gander; “ but please let 
me finish my own speech next time.” 

Just then the coach stopped and a very nice looking 
Pig got in. She was on her way to market, I guess, 
for she had a basket on her arm. After this, nobody 
got in until, — perhaps somebody might have if some- 
thing hadn’t happened. At any rate, all of a sudden, 
a band of Wild Indians rushed up and began shooting 
arrows and tomahawks and spears, and yelling and 

136 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 137 



THE TROLLEY RIDE 

war-whooping. The donkeys were so frightened they 
overturned the coach and the Gander flew out of the 
window and the Goat and the Pig flew out of the door, 
and the little rabbit hopped over the driver’s seat. 
Yes siree! They were all safe in the woods before 
an Indian could yell, Tonamyhawkey ! 


138 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Bless my old feathers! ” cried the Gander, this 
comes from taking that old-fashioned stage coach. 
I should have taken the trolley.’’ And just then they 
heard the trolley car. So he and the little rabbit 
jumped aboard. 

‘‘ This is fine,” said the little rabbit. “ I’ve never 
ridden on a trolley before.” But when the conductor 
asked him for his fare, trouble began all over again. 

Oh dear me! ” cried Billy Bunny, “ I gave the 
ferryman my last carrot! ” 

I can’t help that,” said the conductor. Pay 
your fare or get off.” 

‘‘ Wait a minute, please,” said the Gander, and he 
put two nickels in the conductor’s hand. Wasn’t that 
lucky? And by and by, the car stopped and the 
Gander said, “ I live near here. Don’t you want to 
come home with me? ” 

And after they had gone a little ways they came to 
the Gander’s House. And if the waste-paper basket 
doesn’t run off with the next story. I’ll tell you some- 
thing more about Billy Bunny. 


CHAPTER XLIV 


B ut goodness me! As soon as Billy Bunny saw 
that Goose House was on the edge of the pond, 
he said, I don’t believe I’ll come in, Mr. 
Gander. It’s too near the water, and I’ve had enough 
of water to last me for some time! ” You see, the 
little rabbit was thinking about his accident on the 
river in the last story, and I don’t blame him for 
wanting to keep from the water, do you? 

So he said good-by to the Gander and hopped along. 
And after a little ways, not so very far, he came across 
a man chopping down a tree. And one of the chips 
flew off and hit the little rabbit on the nose. 

I’m very sorry,” said the kind woodchopper. 
“ Did it hurt you badly? ” Then he opened his lunch 
pail and handed the little rabbit a piece of cheese. 
That tastes very nice,” said Billy Bunny. 

Then he hunted all through his pockets again, and, 
do you believe it, he found a lovely apple pie in one 
of them. 

This will go nicely with the cheese,” said the 
woodchopper. You’re a flne little bunny.” 

After everything was eaten up, Billy Bunny started 
off again. Then he tasted the tip of his little striped 

139 


140 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



candy cane, because he felt just like something sweet. 
I don’t know how he ever kept from eating it all np, 
do you? But he didn’t, anyhow. Well, after some 
time, he felt pretty tired, so he sat down to rest on a 
soft mossy bank. The little brook bubbled over the 
pebbles and the breeze shook the tree-tops so gently 
that presently he dropped off to sleep. 

Now the last time he had done this something 
dreadful happened, but this time, it didn’t. A little 
deer came by and stopped to look at him. And just 
then the little rabbit woke up. I didn’t mean to 
wake you,” said the fawn. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 141 


I don’t care,” answered Billy Bunny, “I’d rather 
play with you.” Then Mr. Deer and Mrs. Deer came 
along, and watched them play hop, skip and jump. 
Then they skipped rope and the little rabbit skipped 
nine million, four hundred and sixty-seven thousand, 
eight hundred and two and a half times. This beat 
the little fawn all to pieces, but he didn’t care. Then 
Mr. Deer asked the little rabbit to go with them to the 
park on the other side of the woods. 

And if the baker’s boy doesn’t eat the hole of the 
doughnut, I mean, of course, all the custard pie. I’ll 
tell you in the next story what happened to Billy 
Bunny in Deer Park. 


CHAPTER XLV 


N OW the baker’s boy ate the whole of the dough- 
nut, so I can’t tell you how little Billy Bunny 
went into the Beer Park. And perhaps it’s 
just as well, for something else happened which was 
lots nicer. And this is what it was: 

An airship suddenly got caught in a tree and the 
airman, who happened to be a Jay Bird, flew down 
and asked where he could get a nail to mend his ma- 
chine with. And wasn’t it lucky, Billy Bunny found 
just the right kind of a nail in his knapsack. And 
when the airship was fixed, the Jay Bird told the 
little rabbit to run out on the meadow and he would 
fly down and take him for a ride. 

My! how fast they flew. The airship went much 
faster than Uncle Lucky’s automobile, and that is 
saying a good deal. 

‘‘Which way are we going?” asked the little 
rabbit. “ Anywhere near Old Snake Pence Corner? ” 
“ I don’t know, I’m sure,” said the Jay Bird. “We 
might be just over it.” If he hadn’t looked down 
everything would have been all right. But he did, 
and so you see that is the reason the airship bumped 
into the bell in the church steeple! And the bell 

142 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FEIENDS 143 



THE JAY BIRD TAKES BILLY BUNNY IN HIS AIRSHIP 


144 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


began to ring, oh, how it did ring. Billy Bunny held 
his front paws over his ears, but that didn’t keep out 
the awful noise, so he put his hind paws over too. 
But even that didn’t do any good. 

The Jay Bird tried his best to get the airship away, 
but he couldn’t, and the more he tried, the louder the 
big bell rang, until all the bats in the steeple were 
deaf as an adder. And an adder, you know, is a 
snake and the deafest animal in the vegetable king- 
dom! For he lives on vegetables and of course he 
couldn’t live in the mineral kingdom for that reason. 

And I’m sure I don’t know how the airship ever 
would have gotten loose if the bell hadn’t come off its 
hook. The big bell rang louder than before. And 
everbody jumped out of bed and ran to the engine 
house, for they thought there must be a terrible fire 
somewhere. 

Stop! stop!” cried Billy Bunny. ‘‘Take me 
down to earth and let me hop away from this awful 
bell! ” And when the airship came to the ground, 
the little rabbit never even said thank you or good- 
by or pleased to meet you, or twice one are five, but 
hopped away as fast as he could. 

And if a shooting star doesn’t hit me in the right 
thumb so that I can’t play the piano, I mean the 
typewriter, — I’ll tell you next time about Billy Bunny 
and the lolly-pop. 


CHAPTER XLVI 


When things go wrong just sing a song, 

And laugh with all your might. 

You must be strong when things go wrong 
To do just what is right. 

And after all the sweetest call 
Is that which says to me, 

‘‘Cheer up, my lad! Forget you’re sad. 

And whistle merrily!” 

B illy BLTNNY couldn’t wMstle. But that didn’t 
make any difference. For after the Lark had 
finished her song, the little rabbit felt ever so 
much better. He looked through his pockets till he 
found a little whistle, and then he blew it with all his 
might just to show the happy Lark that he was follow- 
ing her advice. And just because he tried to forget 
how discouraged he was because he couldn’t find his 
way back to the Old Brier Patch, something nice hap- 
pened. A lolly-pop man came by and gave him a 
raspberry lolly-pop, which is enough to make any 
bunny boy or bunny girl perfectly happy, that is, 
until it’s all gone, when they might wish for another 
one, perhaps. And the reason the man gave him the 
candy was because he belonged to the same circus 

145 


146 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



THE TREE TOAD TELLS BILLY BUNNY THE WAY HOME 


that the elephant did, — the elephant friend of Billy 
Bunny, you know. 

After the lolly-pop was all gone, the little rabbit 
met a toad, who said he was a third cousin to Uncle 
Bullfrog. 

‘‘You seem like an old friend,” said Billy Bunny, 
“ and you’re a tree toad, too. I’ve often heard you 
sing near the Old Brier Patch! ” 

“ Are you going back there'? ” asked the toad. 

“I’m trying to, hut I can’t find the way.” 

“ Take the patch to your right when you come to 
the little bridge,” said the tree toad, “ and then turn 
to your left at the next bridge.” 

The little rabbit thanked him and hopped away. 
And when he came to the first bridge, an old white- 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FEIENDS 147 


haired beaver stood up and said, You must pay 
toll! 

WhaUs that? ’’ asked Billy Bunny. 

‘‘ Money to cross a bridge with,’’ said the white- 
haired Beaver. Well, here’s a penny,” said the 
little rabbit. 

And if the monkey-wrench doesn’t screw the hickory 
nuts on so tight that the squirrels can’t get them off 
the tree next autumn. I’ll tell you what the bunny 
did after he crossed the bridge. 


CHAPTER XLVII 


W ELL, here we are again wondering how little 
Billy Bunny crossed the bridge after paying 
a penny to the old white-haired Beaver. 
Who gets the toll-money? ’’ said Billy Bunny. 

I do. I built the bridge, and so I keep it in 
order,” and the old white-haired Beaver looked very 
proud. And as that was all he wanted to know, Billy 
Bunny hopped across, on his way home to the dear 
Old Brier Patch. And when he came to the next 
bridge, he forgot which way to turn; and so have I. 
Now isn’t that too bad? If I only had last night’s 
Bunny Gazette I’d tell you in a minute, but I gave it 
to my little boy neighbour who wanted it to cut out the 
Billy Bunny stories for his scrap-book. Well, any- 
way, the little rabbit turned to the right, which I’m 
almost sure is wrong, and by and by whom should he 
meet but an old brown horse. He didn’t have any 
saddle or harness on, and he looked very thin, but that 
didn’t make him cross. He was very nice to Billy 
Bunny and asked him where he was going. If I 
only had an airship,” said the little rabbit, I’d soon 
get home; but, oh dear! I have only twenty-three 
cents left.” 


148 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS PEIENDS 149 



You can sell me, if you can find anybody who 
wants a brown horse,” said the good-natured animal. 

I don’t belong to anybody but myself, so it will be 
perfectly honest.” So the bunny boy led the brown 
horse down the road and by and by they came to a 
gipsy camp. There weren’t any horses nearly as 
nice looking as the old brown horse and Billy Bunny 
thought he’d easily sell him for maybe a thousand 
dollars! But the gipsies wouldn’t give him more than 
three dollars, but as this was something, Billy Bunny 
took the money and started off again. 

Now if I could only come to a fiying machine 
shop,” thought the little rabbit, maybe I could buy 


150 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


a little one for three dollars and twenty-three cents.” 
But there weren’t any stores around, so the bunny 
boy had to go without an airship just then. 

But if you only don’t give up, you’ll get what you 
want some day, and this is just what happened to 
Billy Bunny. He suddenly came upon the Jay Bird 
sitting by his nest, and under the tree was his airship. 

Will you sell it'? ” asked the little rabbit, climbing 
in just to see how it felt to be all alone in an airship. 
The Jay Bird said he would for three dollars. 
Wasn’t that nice, for it left the little bunny boy with 
twenty-three cents to buy candy with. And if Daddy 
Long Legs doesn’t put the garden hose on his legs 
and run all over the lawn tonight I’ll tell you how 
Billy Bunny got caught on a telegraph pole. 


CHAPTER XLVIII 


A fter the Jay Bird had shown Billy Bunny how 
to steer the airship, the little rabbit started off. 
My! wasn’t it exciting. He went by so fast that 
he couldn’t hold up his ears. Everything was going 
along beautifully, when, all of a sudden, zip! the air- 
ship went right into a telegraph pole and caught in 
the wires. 

Oh dear! oh dear! ” cried Billy Bunny. He was 
just going to say the same thing over again, when he 
heard the wires talking. First, one said, ‘‘ Hello Cen- 
tral! ” and then another one said, Give me 9245 
Snake Fence! ” And then he heard his mother’s 
voice calling up the police station and telling the 
Chief of Police to hunt for her son, William Bunny. 

Oh dear! oh dear! ” cried Billy Bunny all over 
again. 

And then, such a sweet song came over the wires 
that it made the little rabbit take heart again. 

Don^t be worried if you make 
Lots and lots of fool mistakes. 

Don’t regret and do not sorrow, 

Try for better things tomorrow. 

But remember, never make 
Once again the same mistake. 


152 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



THE AIRSHIP NEEDS GASOLENE 


Then Billy Bunny pulled on the steering wheel and, 
would you believe it, the airship slid off the wires 
and started off again smoothly as could be. And 
by and by he came to Uncle Lucky’s house, and right 
in front of the door was Uncle Lucky himself in his 
automobile. 

Hello, Uncle Lucky! I need some gasolene,” said 
Billy Bunny, after landing his airship safely along- 
side of the automobile, although the old gentleman 
was scared nearly to death for fear the airship would 
drop on top of him. 

So they got some gasolene and put it in the airship. 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 153 


By this time Uncle Lucky was getting curious and 
when he saw how much Billy Bunny knew about it, 
he asked to be taken along. So they started off and 
everything went along all right until Uncle Lucky’s 
stovepipe hat blew off. 

I can’t lose that hat,” cried the old gentleman 
rabbit, I wore it on my wedding day.” 

So Billy Bunny turned the airship down and went 
after the old silk hat. But, oh dear me ! Before they 
could catch it, it rolled into a deep cave where lived 
a cross old bear. And while they stood outside won- 
dering what to do, the old bear came out with Uncle 
Lucky’s hat on his head. 

What do you mean by throwing an old hat at 
me? ” growled the Bear, looking at them so fiercely 
that neither rabbit could speak from fear. 

And if the old oyster doesn’t clam himself and the 
catfish catch the little mouse in our pantry, so that 
we have to send the trap back because it isn’t any 
good. I’ll tell you next time how the band played on 
Uncle Lucky’s old silk hat. 


CHAPTER XLIX 


I REMEMBER I promised to tell you in the last 
story how the band played on Uncle Lucky’s old 
silk hat. But I’m sorry to say I made a dreadful 
mistake. What I meant to say was that I’d tell you 
how the band frayed on Uncle Lucky’s stovepipe hat, 
but now that I’ve made such a botch out of it, I’ll 
tell you something else instead. 

Well, we left Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky in front 
of the bear’s cave and the cross old hear right in front 
of them with Uncle Lucky’s stovepipe hat on his 
grizzly head. 

At last Uncle Lucky plucked up courage and said, 
‘‘ Give me back my hat.” 

I won’t,” said the cross old bear. 

Well, what are you going to do with it, then? ” 
asked Uncle Lucky anxiously. Wear it? ” 

No, I’m not,” said the hear. ‘‘I’m going to keep 
seashells in it.” 

“ Oh dear! Oh dear! ” cried Uncle Lucky, and the 
tears started to his eyes. “ My poor old wedding 
stovepipe hat! ” 

The cross old bear began to look very uncomfort- 
able. He twisted about ; first on one foot and then on 

154 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FEIENDS 155 



UNCLE LUCKY ALMOST LOSES HIS STOVEPIPE HAT 

the other. At last he asked, Do you really want it 
back so much? ’’ 

Well, you should have seen Uncle Lucky’s face! 
It smiled all over. It looked to him as if the bear 
was going to give him back his hat, you see. 

‘‘ I want it so much,” said Uncle Lucky, and he 
began to cry again. I want it so much that I some- 
how just can’t tell you how much I do want it.” 

Then the cross old bear suddenly changed into a 
nice old bear and came over and put the hat on 
Uncle Lucky’s head, which made the old gentleman 
rabbit laugh, for he didn’t want the seashells put 
in it, you know. 


156 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


Well, after that, they all got very friendly, and the 
cross old bear told a funny story about a Welsh 
Rabbit who always had bad dreams when he ate 
lobster salad. And then the rabbits said good-by 
and got into their airship and flew otf towards the 
Old Brier Patch. 

And you can just bet Uncle Lucky didn’t lose his 
hat again. He tied his red silk handkerchief over 
it and under his chin, that’s what he did. 

vNow it would be nice if I could get them back 
without anything happening, but I just can’t. I 
must tell you exactly what took place or you wouldn’t 
like the stories nearly as well. But I won’t tell it 
now, but in the next story, if the little peanut shells 
the peas in time for dinner, so I won’t have to string 
beans for supper. I’ll tell you how Billy Bunny and 
Uncle Lucky fell into the haymow. 


CHAPTER L 


T HERE’S the Old Farm where I got the eggs 
from Henny Jenny,” cried Uncle Lucky, look- 
ing down from the airship in which he and 
Billy Bunny were going back to the Brier Patch in 
Old Snake Fence Corner. 

But just then Willie Wind did something strange. 
He blew the weathercock oif the Big Barn and 
slammed the airship right down on the haymow. 
Wasn’t it lucky the haymow was there. 

Well, after Billy Bunny and the old gentleman 
rabbit untangled themselves, they looked about to 
see what was to be done. Nobody was around to help 
them, for the farmer and his wife had gone to town, 
and all the Barn Yard Polk were out in the Pleasant 
Meadow. 

Let’s leave the airship and walk home,” said 
Billy Bunny; and off they hopped towards the Brier 
Patch. But, goodness me! how Willie Wind was 
blowing. It was all a small boy could do to hold 
on to a kite he was flying. Let us help you,” said 
good kind Uncle Lucky, and he took hold of the 
string and so did Billy Bunny. But the careless boy 

157 


158 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 



THE KITE FLIES AWAY WITH BILLY BUNNY AND UNCLE LUCKY 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 159 


let go, and, oh dear! oh dear! I hate to tell it, but up 
in the air went the two rabbits, higher and higher, 
and they didn’t dare let go, either, for fear they’d 
fall and break their legs. Mr. Happy Sun was so 
sorry that he hid behind a cloud. You see, he just 
couldn’t bear to have anything happen to little Billy 
Bunny, nor to Uncle Lucky, either, for that matter, 
for he was very fond of the kind old gentleman 
rabbit. 

Look here, Willie Wind!” cried little Billy 
Bunny, if you don’t stop blowing so hard and let 
us down easily. I’ll do something to you some day, 
I will! ” But Uncle Lucky didn’t say anything. 
He had all he could do to hang on to the string. 

Well, Willie Wind didn’t answer just then, but 
by and by when they were right over the Old Brier 
Patch, the kite began to come down slowly, and pretty 
soon the two rabbits could just touch the ground with 
the tips of their toes, and you can just bet they let 
go of the string. They let go so fast they both fell 
over backwards just as Mrs. Bunny looked out of the 
front door. 

And wasn’t she surprised and glad to see Billy 
Bunny. She kissed him and hugged him, and shook 
hands with Uncle Lucky, and then she called up the 
Police Station and told them that Billy Bunny was 
home safe and they needn’t hunt for him any 


more. 


160 BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS 


And now that Billy Bunny is safe at home at Old 
Snake Fence Corner, we’ll have to leave him there 
for a while because there isn’t any more room in 
this book for another story. It makes me feel lonely 
to say good-by to the little rabbit. Don’t you feel so, 
too? Well, I’ll tell you a secret. Just as soon as 
I can, I’m going to write another book full of stories 
about 


BILLY BUNNY AND HIS FRIENDS.” 












